Bangladesh’s academic renaming spree gains momentum as Dhaka University syndicate votes to honor slain Islamist Sharif Usman Hadi by renaming Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall after him. The decision, pending senate nod, reflects rising influence of hardline elements in the post-Awami League era.
Vice-Chancellor Niaz Ahmad Khan presided over the pivotal Thursday meeting. Proctor Saifuddin Ahmad verified to media: ‘Syndicate approved; senate will decide next. One phase complete.’ Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall will similarly shift to ‘Captain Sitara Parveen Hall.’
Context is crucial: Hadi’s December 18 assassination in Dhaka sparked student-led changes at the hall, including plaque swaps and mural obliteration. His backers unleashed chaos targeting minorities, Indian diplomatic sites, cultural hubs, and journalists.
Compounding tensions, the syndicate moved against four Blue Panel teachers—Awami League loyalists—issuing notices and charges for potential dismissal. ‘They’ll show cause why charges shouldn’t lead to termination,’ Ahmad noted. This builds on last month’s violence against three similar faculty by DUCSU-led students.
Under Yunus’s interim stewardship, these events spotlight crumbling rule of law, encroaching politics on campuses, stifled academic liberty, and perils for dissent. The push to redefine public memory through such renamings risks alienating moderates while empowering extremists, with long-term implications for national identity.