Published: 03:13 AM, 02 July 2018
Those who opposed DU founding
History says that higher education in the Indian subcontinent officially began in the wake of Sepoy Mutiny in 1857.Lord Canning paved the way for the establishment of three universities in 1857 by passing The Act of Incorporation while he was British Viceroy in India.
Those three institutions were Calcutta, Bombay and Madras Universities. Higher education prevailed in India even before the inception of these universities but these universities were established in European model, BBC Bangla has reported.
There were 19 colleges in undivided Bengal before the Partition of Bengal in 1905 including 9 in East Bengal. The Partition of Bengal existed for just six years due to strong upheaval against it by the people who wanted united Bengal. As a result the Partition of Bengal was nullified in 1911.
However, the Muslims of East Bengal supported the Partition of 1905 and Muslim leaders contradicted with the decision to revoke this Partition, as stated in Syed Abul Maksud's book "Dhaka Bishwabiddalay o Bangladesher Uchcha Shikkha" (Dhaka University and Bangladesh's Higher Education).
BBC Bangla has stated that Sir Ashutosh Mukhopaddhay, Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University and politician Surendranath Banerjee has been named in Syed Abul Maksud's books as some of the prominent people who had opposed the inception of Dhaka University.
A delegation team headed by Dr. Rasbihari Ghose submitted a memorandum against the establishment of Dhaka University to Viceroy Lord Hardringe during the British official's visit to Dhaka on 12 February 1912, BBC recalls.
Nevertheless, Sir Ashutosh Mukhopaddhay later on helped Dhaka University to recruit teachers. BBC has reported that some Hindu leaders in West Bengal had presumed that budget for Calcutta University would be slashed if Dhaka University was allowed to emerge.
Bishwajit Ghose, Professor, Department of Bengali, Dhaka University has said to BBC that some people comment that Rabindranath Tagore opposed the inception of Dhaka University but there is no such proof or evidence.Rather Rabindranath Tagore all his life worked for the socio-economic and institutional betterment of all people of Bengal.
People who played vital roles for the establishment of Dhaka University include Nabab Sir Salimullah and Syed Nawab Ali Chowdhury, BBC added.
Political leader Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque and landlord Jagannath Roy Chowdhury also worked a lot for founding Dhaka University. Jagannath Hall was named after landlord Jagannath Roy Chowdhury.
