The name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is being restored at the gate of a Dhaka University hall, replacing the name of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
The inscription “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall” has been removed from the gate of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, with “Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall” set to be restored.
Work to erase the existing nameplate began on Wednesday afternoon.
Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane said that the decision followed a resolution adopted at the university’s latest Senate meeting.
“Last time, the Senate decided to retain all the previous names. That is now being implemented,” he said.
The hall’s Senior Administrative Officer Md Jaban Ali said the administration was removing Hadi’s name in response to repeated requests from students.
“The students have been coming to us repeatedly and raising the issue verbally. Parents also become confused as students’ certificates carry one name while another name is being used for the hall. Now only ‘Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall’ will be written,” he said.
Asked whether the students had submitted a written application, Jaban Ali said there was no written application.
The hall’s previous nameplate was removed and replaced with “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall” in December 2025 after Hadi was shot.
A banner bearing the new name had been put up at the hall’s main gate around 2:30am on December 19. At the time, hall union General Secretary Al Sabah said signatures had been collected from students and most of them supported the name change.
The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) later demanded that the hall be renamed “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall” and submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor.
Following the demand, the university Syndicate on January 8 recommended changing the hall’s name to “Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall”. It also recommended renaming Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall as “Bir Pratik Captain Sitara Begum Hall”.
However, the June 29 Senate session did not reach a final decision on changing the names of five institutions named after members of the Sheikh family. Five Ducsu Senate members walked out of the session over the issue, after which the proposal was sent back to the Syndicate.
Meanwhile, the university’s official website continues to list the hall as “Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall”. The hall was established in 1988 and named after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, according to the university’s website.