Khulna University removes Jibanananda-Jagadish Bose’s names from different installations

The Khulna University (KU) authorities have changed names of different installations, omitting the names of world renowned chemist Prafulla Chandra Ray, physicist Jagadish Chandra Bose and poet Jibanananda Das.

The decision, taken during a syndicate meeting, has sparked harsh criticisms from the students, teachers, political leaders and representatives of civic society.

Wahiduddin Mahmud, education adviser of the interim government, said he was disheartened with such a decision while addressing the convocation of BRAC University in Dhaka last Tuesday.

“We have been hearing stories about Jagadish Chandra Bose since our childhood. There were buildings and installations in his name in the Khulna University. The names have been changed. There was a building in the name of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy. Names of several other installations have been changed. I am quite disheartened by this,” he said.

“It’s beyond my imagination that the name of a building named after Jagadish Chandra Bose can be changed. I hope the university authority and the students will find a solution,” Wahiduddin Mahmud added.

The issue also came up in the biennial council of Khulna city unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) last Monday.

Speaking about the issue, BNP national executive committee assistant organising secretary Jayanta Kundu said, “It’s natural that names of pro-fascist people will be removed after the mass uprising. But I want to ask the KU vice chancellor that by whose power you dare to remove the names of Lalon Sai, Jibanananda Das, Satyendranath Bose and Jagadish Chandra Bose. Today or tomorrow, you will have to answer that.”

Eminent educationist and Socheton Nagorik Committee (Sonak) Khulna president professor Anwarul Kadir said, “In a word, such an incident shows their low taste and low mentality. It’s unbelievable that university teachers could bear such a mentality.”

The decision was taken in the KU syndicate meeting held on 8 February. Later, the office order regarding the changes was issued on 12 February. The name of Syed Nazrul Islam administrative building was changed after the name of the first vice-chancellor of the university, Golam Rahman.

Similarly, the name of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall was changed into Bir Shreshtha Mohammad Ruhul Amin Hall, Bangamata Fazilatunnessa Hall into Bijay 24 Hall, the name of Satyendranath Basu Academic Building was changed to Academic Building-1, Jagadish Chandra Academic Building into Academic Building-2, Poet Jibanananda Das Academic Building into Academic Building-3 and the name of the Joy Bangla Building was changed to Academic Building-4.

Besides, the name of Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Administrative Building was changed to Administrative Building; Sultana Kama Gymnasium was changed to Khulna University Gymnasium and the name of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy Central Laboratory into Khulna University Central Laboratory.

Apart from that, the names of four teachers’ quarters named after martyred intellectuals have also been changed.

Speaking about this, Bangladesh Principal’s Association president and Khulna University former treasurer Mohammad Majharul Hannan, “We don’t have any complaints regarding the controversial names. However, the decision to change names of the installations named after renowned personalities is not prudent under any circumstances.”

“The eminent citizens haven’t applied to name the installations after them. We don’t have the right to insult them. It wasn’t the right move at all,” he remarked.

Khulna University statistics discipline student and member secretary of Anti-discrimination Student Movement in Khulna Jahurul Tanvir in a Facebook post wrote, “The situation centering on changing the names of different installations is like throwing the baby out with swaddling cloth.”

University sources say the decision to rename 19 buildings and installations was taken in the syndicate meeting on 22 October 2016. The meeting was presided over by the then KU vice chancellor Fayekuzzaman.

Following the July uprising, the university students raised a 37-point demand for university reform and ensuring the rights of the students. One of the major demands was renaming the buildings and installations named after political personalities.

English discipline student Ayman Ahad was one of the students who raised that demand.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said, “We asked to rename only the buildings and installations that have been named after political personalities. However, the authorities changed the names of several buildings and installations named after non-political personalities, which was not taken well by the students.”

“The university administration should take the decision again after considering the opinion of the students,” he added.

Speaking regarding this, KU vice chancellor Md Rezaul Karim told Prothom Alo, “We didn’t do anything on our own. We just renamed everything as it was before. It was one of the demands raised by the students. A committee was formed regarding the demands of the students. It was not my own decision. My door is always open for discussion if the students want.”

He further said, “Many are blaming me alone for this, which is not right. The decision was taken by the syndicate. There are several knowledgeable persons in the syndicate who made the decision.”

He passed the blame on the previous administration saying, “The previous administration, who named those buildings and installations as being over enthusiast, are responsible for this. The names are so complex that many can’t even pronounce it.”

* This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu