Dhaka University authorities have initiated the process of restoring the original name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, replacing the unofficial signage that had been painted over its entrance. Workers began erasing the text “Martyr Osman Hadi Hall” from the residential facility’s main archway on Wednesday afternoon to reinstate the official designation.
Addressing the development, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the university, Professor Mohammad Almojaddedi Alfehsani, clarified the legal and administrative rationale behind the decision. He explained that no official resolution was passed during the previous Senate meeting to alter existing institutional names across the university campus. Consequently, the residential hall must revert to its legally registered title, as any formal change requires explicit statutory approval through the appropriate university governing bodies.
The temporary name change dates back to December 2025, following a violent incident in which Sharif Osman Hadi, a spokesperson for the political activist group Inqilab Mancha, sustained gunshot injuries. Amid the ensuing agitation, a group of demonstrators erased the original plaque on the gates of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall and painted “Martyr Osman Hadi Hall” in its place as a symbolic gesture of protest.
Following that incident, the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) formally pressed the university administration to officially rename the hall in honour of Sharif Osman Hadi. Despite political pressure and student union demands, university management maintained that formal administrative processes could not be bypassed.
University workers are currently restoring the primary entrance to reflect its official nomenclature, ensuring that all records, signage, and administrative functions remain aligned with the decisions of the Dhaka University Senate.
