>>>An Ode To DU<<<

The first-ever University in Bangladesh, Dhaka University began with 192 students and 3 faculties in July 1st, 1921. The current Emergency Building of Dhaka Medical College was the Main building of the University. P. J. Hartog was the first Vice Chancellor and the first Registrar was Khan Bahadur Nazir Uddin Ahmad. The University of Dhaka was established under the Govt. of India Act. XVIII of 1920 (Which was based on the recommendations of the Calcutta University Commission presided over by Sir Michael Sadler) as a unitary, teaching and residential University with a constitution similar in many respects to those of the then contemporary English Universities. Following the creation in 1947 of the province of East Bengal as a part of Pakistan, the East Bengal Educational Ordinance, 1947, was promulgated, by which the University, without prejudice to its original character as a teaching and residential University was entrusted with sole authority to recognize and affiliate all educational institutions in East Bengal above Materict and High Madrasa standard. Accordingly, in 1947, the University of Dhaka affiliated 58 1st and 2nd grade colleges throughout the whole of East Bengal. After independence the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh promulgated the adaptation of University Laws by the Bangladesh Ordinance No. 1 of 1972. Afterwards, in pursuance to the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the President Order No. 11 of 1973 which is called the "Dacca University Order, 1973 was promulgated.

I have been in awe of the rich history, cultural and political activities and the vastness of Dhaka University (DU) all my life. My first love of my life, my grandfather is a DU graduate. All the exciting tales of DU that I used hear from him, had caused me to perceive it more as a canopy of dreams than an educational institution. However, I never wanted to study in DU myself, instead I used to fantasize having a boyfriend who would go to DU. Luckily enough, my childhood/teenage fantasy came true; Tanzil is a DU graduate.

Though I've read everything they ever published on DU till date, I hadn't had the fortune of taking a proper tour of its huge campus until Tanzil decided to take me on the date of my life. Our day long wandering in every nook and cranny of the huge DU area was something that I can live over and over again.

Our journey began with Mr. Malek buying me some lovely roses from the famous road side flower shop near DU campus's gate of entrance.

We made our first stop at Tanzil's department, the Department of Business Studies. Its a grand place. Instead of taking the elevator, Tanzil made me take the many stairs around the building so I could see the graffiti on the walls, which were the business students' efforts at being artistic. It was a laugh running up and down the stairs. We distinctively reminded ourselves of Wee Willie Winkie. Below is the picture of the extension of the Business Department (that Tanzil is excessively proud of) under construction.


Then Tanzil drove through the Liberal Arts Department, the International Hall and Salim Ullah Hall slowly enough for me to stare at each one of them to my heart's content.

Our next stop was Mall Chottor, the famous park of DU where generations of young lovers have spent their free periods lazing under a tree, in each others arms. Tanzil and I sat under a tree too and I was overwhelmed to know that in the six long years of his DU life, that was the ever first time he was in Mall Chottor with a girl. I am the only girl he has ever been to the Mall Chottor with ( I can't stop smiling)! Below are a few pictures of us in Mall Chottor.




After our typical DU style romance in Mall Chottor, we went to see the Oporajeo Bangla (Unvanquished Bengal). I had only seen the Oporajeo Bangla on TV; seeing it up front gave me the goosebumps, because it is one of the most well known sculptures dedicated to the Liberation War of our country, and from the very foot of it many revolutions that were crucial in shaping the face of our nation had begun.

Oporajeo Bangla

The next must-see place on our list was the Teacher-Student Center (TSC). TSC is a complex building providing a wide variety of recreational and cultural facilities. More commonly, TSC is the most famous hangout spot in the history of Dhaka. Sadly however, we weren't able to go inside TSC because a theatrical festival was going on, in which only the Drama students were allowed. I would like to go back to DU someday soon to spend a good amount of time in TSC only.

With the afternoon sun in full blaze over our heads, we drove away from TSC deciding that it was now time for lunch. On our way to Pizza Hut, we made a not-in-the-list stop at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban. We knew that there was a Senate Bhaban within the Campus of DU, from where all the vital decisions regarding the welfare of the University are taken, but we were not aware (not even Tanzil) of how beautiful the place was. Senate Bhaban (for a reason I am not sure of) stirred the little child in me, and I felt an immense urge to run, skip and hop all over the place. It took me a great load of self-control to hold back from doing something that might embarrass both Tanzil and myself. I guess TSC is not the only place I would want to visit DU again for. Here are some pictures of the Senate Bhaban and us in it:






After a filling lunch of chicken soup and pizza, we went straight to Curzon Hall. Curzon Hall is part of the School of Science of DU. But for me, Curzon Hall is something that I just cant explain in words and neither can I express how much I envy the Science students of DU who get to go to Curzon Hall everday.

With its rich historical grandeur, Curzon Hall is nothing less than a Castle of dreams. Curzon Hall meant to be a town hall, was named after Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, who laid its foundation in 1904. A year later Bengal was partitioned and Dhaka or Dacca as it was known then, became the capital of the newly created province of East Bengal and Assam. Following the annulment of partition in 1911 it was used as a premise of Dhaka College, and after the establishment of the University of Dhaka in 1921, became part of the University's Science section and continues as such.

The red-brick walls of the Curzon Hall, a continuous empty veranda on all sides, the spacious and carefully maintained garden in which it is laid, the lovely flowers in the garden, the butterflies playing in the flowers, the summer breeze, the serenity and the shadows of the eminent past, all blended together in my mind and crafted a feeling of profound love as I sat there in the green grass with Tanzil by my side.

Here are pictures of our blissful afternoon in Curzon Hall.

After two peaceful hours, Tanzil dragged a very reluctant me out of the garden and into the car, and drove away from Curzon Hall. Our next destination was the Shaheed Minar. The Shaheed Minar is a national monument established to commemorate those brave souls killed during the Language Movement demonstrations of 1952. We went there but couldn't hang around for long because students where setting up the place for a cultural function to be held there in the evening. But we managed to take a few quick pictures to remember our visit to the Shaheed Minar by.

Tired, sweaty but thoroughly enjoying it all, we had just one more left on our list of places to visit. Our final stop was Charukola, the Fine Arts Institute of DU. To describe Charukola, I'd have to say its one wacky place filled with a crowd of wacky students creating wacky pieces or artwork! But I am not complaining at all; I simply loved the totally wacky experience I have had there. I couldn't have asked for a better way to conclude our DU escapade than going crazy looking at all the paintings and sculptures that are the prized possession of the best art institute of our country. Below are some pictures that we have taken at Charukola.

a Charukola student


Tanzil and his amazement

Sculpture of Rabindranath Tagore's famous character Postmaster and I

Thus this was DU, the pride of Bangladesh through my eyes that are simple and full of wonder. I am planning to revisit the ancient buildings that produce new dreams and visions, just to check if I have missed exploring a certain corner or not, failed to hear a certain whisper of the breeze or not, misinterpreted a certain shadow or not...because the vastness of DU is such that no one really knows exactly how many surprises it is hiding within itself.