Dhaka University Renames Mujib Hall to ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall’

A group of students at Dhaka University (DU) has renamed the iconic Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall to ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall’ following the tragic death of Osman Hadi, the spokesperson for Inquilab Mancha, who passed away on December 18. The name change was announced in protest of his death and in recognition of his contributions to the country’s political activism.

On December 18, students held a protest march across the university campus, demanding the renaming of the hall, with banners displaying ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall’ prominently placed inside and outside the building. The move was part of a broader call for justice for Hadi, who had been actively involved in opposing fascism and imperialism.

Ahmed Al Sabah, General Secretary of the Mujib Hall Student Union, mentioned that previous petitions had been made to the university administration to rename the hall but had faced delays due to internal politics and administrative hurdles. He further emphasized that Hadi’s death was the catalyst for making this change.

In a similar vein, Mushfiq Tajwar Mahi, the Assistant General Secretary of the hall, declared that they no longer wanted any hall named after Mujib, advocating for the name to be changed in honor of Shaheed Osman Hadi.

The university's students are also calling for further recognition of other martyrs, including the proposal to rename Shaikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Hall as ‘Shaheed Felani Hall.’ The protests have garnered widespread support across the university community.