A furore erupted on Wednesday between the Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) and the Awami Legaue in Barisal city over a changing of the name of Government Barisal College.
The Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) and its front organisations organized programmes in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in favour of renaming the college after Ashwini Kumar Dutta, a Bengali educationist, philanthropist, social reformer and patriot.
Manisha Chakrabarty, member secretary, and Imran Habib Khan Rumon, convener of the district BSD, addressed a human chain and a rally in this regard.
They said that it was a legitimate demand that the college be renamed after Ashwini Kumar Dutta, as it had been established on land owned by him.
Meanwhile, the district Awami League and its associate organizations arranged a mass signature programme and rally at the same venue, demanding that the name of the college remain unchanged.
The rally was addressed by advocate Jahangir Kabir, general secretary of city unit AL and advocate Rafiqul Islam, panel mayor of Barisal City Corporation.
They said they did not know why the Education Ministry had suddenly taken the initiative to change the name of Government Barisal College to Ashwini Kumar Dutta College.
A museum, students hall or library might be established on the campus to pay respect in memory of Ashwini Kumar Dutta, but renaming the college after Ashwini Kumar Dutta was not fair, they said.
On June 29, 2020, the Education Ministry sent a letter to the Barisal Education Board asking for documents in order to rename the college after Ashwini Kumar Dutta.
