5 Ducsu members walk out of DU Senate over delay in renaming Sheikh family-linked facilities
The walkout came after Vice-Chancellor Prof ABM Obaidul Islam announced that the proposal would be sent back to the Syndicate for further consideration.
Five members of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) walked out of the university's annual Senate session yesterday (29 June) night after the Senate failed to reach a final decision on renaming five university facilities named after members of the Sheikh family.
The walkout came after Vice-Chancellor Prof ABM Obaidul Islam announced that the proposal would be sent back to the Syndicate for further consideration.
The students who walked out of the Senate session were Ducsu Vice-President Md Abu Shadik Kayem, General Secretary SM Farhad, Assistant General Secretary Muhammad Mohiuddin, Transport Secretary Asif Abdullah and member Sabikunnahar Tamanna.
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Earlier, the vice-chancellor read out a proposal forwarded from the Syndicate to the Senate, which suggested renaming Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall as Osman Hadi Hall, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall as Bir Protik Captain Sitara Hall, Sultana Kamal Hostel as Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam Hall, Russell Tower as Officers' Tower and Bangabandhu Tower as Shaheed Minar Tower.
The vice-chancellor said the proposal had been forwarded to the Senate following applications from the provosts of the respective halls, hall councils, and welfare association representatives.
During the discussion, Senate member and National University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Lutfar Rahman questioned whether the Syndicate had formally approved the proposal. In response, the vice-chancellor said the Syndicate had only forwarded the proposal to the Senate without making a final decision.
Prof Lutfar Rahman said the Syndicate should first approve any such proposal before being placed before the Senate for final approval.
Senate member and Dhaka University professor Samina Lutfa also opposed changing the names without broader discussion, saying the halls form part of the university's history and that altering them in this manner would set a poor precedent.
However, Ducsu Vice-President Shadik Kayem and General Secretary SM Farhad urged the Senate to decide during the session.
Farhad said more than 80% of students had supported the renaming through a signature campaign, arguing that students faced difficulties using the existing hall names during university events and external activities.
Kayem said more than 880 institutions had been renamed following the political change, including facilities at 13 public universities, and questioned why Dhaka University had not done the same.
After the vice-chancellor reiterated that the proposal would be sent back to the Syndicate in accordance with procedural requirements, the five DUCSU representatives walked out of the Senate session.
