DU admin removes ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi’ nameplate from Sheikh Mujib Hall

The Dhaka University (DU) administration has begun removing the name “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall” from the main gate of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall and has taken initiatives to restore the original name within the next few days.

The work began on Wednesday noon, with the hall administration saying it would complete the process within the current week.

The proctorial team denied having any information about the name restoration works, and referred the matter to the hall provost, who was unreachable over the phone despite multiple attempts by journalists.

The hall’s senior administrative officer, Md Joban Ali, said students had been verbally requesting the correction of the hall’s name for a long time.

“To avoid confusion among students and guardians, the name ‘Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall’ will be written again within the next few days,” he said.

The university’s official website also currently lists the hall as “Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall”.

A visit to the hall’s main gate on Wednesday afternoon found workers erasing the section bearing the name “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall” and preparing the plaque for the new inscription.

On the night of 20 December 2025, a group of students removed the name Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the hall’s main gate and replaced it with “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall.”

The following day, more than 500 students, including Chhatra Shibir leaders and representatives of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall Union, submitted a memorandum to the university authorities.

Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson and convener of Inqilab Mancha, had announced his intention to contest the 13th parliamentary election as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency. He was shot in the capital’s Paltan area on 12 December 2025, a day after the election schedule was announced, and died six days later in Singapore while undergoing treatment.

At a Syndicate meeting on 8 January, the university recommended changing the names of five facilities named after members of the Sheikh family, including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, amid demands raised by students and the Shibir-led DUCSU. According to published reports, the meeting recommended renaming the hall “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall”.

The Syndicate, however, did not approve the recommendations, and instead, sent the matter to the Senate for a final decision.

The issue was included in the agenda of a Senate session on 29 June.

On 29 June, Senate members expressed differing views. Senate member Prof Md Lutfar Rahman proposed sending the matter back to the Syndicate for consideration in line with the rules. Senate member Prof Samina Lutfah also objected to the renaming.

Senate member Fazlul Haque Milon proposed naming the hall after National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Despite lengthy discussions, the Senate reached no final decision.

Later, Vice-Chancellor prof ABM Obaidul Islam directed that the matter be sent back to the Syndicate. In protest, five DUCSU leaders and the Senate’s student members walked out of the session. They are: DUCSU Vice President Abu Shadik Kayem, General Secretary SM Farhad, Assistant General Secretary Muhammad Mohiuddin, Transport Secretary Asif Abdullah and member Sabikunnahar Tamanna.

Meanwhile, a number of attempts to contact the hall Provost Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, by phone went unanswered. And in a direct visit to the hall, the provost was found absent.