The name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall is set to return to the main gate of the residence at the University of Dhaka, with the recently installed ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall’ sign being removed.
Work to erase the words ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall’ from the entrance began on Wednesday afternoon. Once the work is completed, the previous name, ‘Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall’, is expected to be restored at the gate.
University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Mohammad Almojaddedi Alfechani said the decision followed the latest position taken by the university’s Senate. He said there had been no Senate decision to retain the recent changes to the names of the university’s halls and other establishments, and that the hall was therefore returning to its previous name.
The latest development follows a series of changes to the naming of university facilities in the wake of political and campus developments over the past year.
In December 2025, after Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson for the Inqilab Mancha, was shot, the existing nameplate at the gate of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall was removed. The words ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall’ were subsequently written in its place.
The change attracted attention because the original name of the hall was associated with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh and a central historical figure in the country’s political history. The later use of Hadi’s name reflected a separate development linked to events surrounding his shooting and the response among sections of the university community.
The issue did not end with the replacement of the nameplate. The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union, known as Ducsu, later called for the hall to be formally renamed ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall’.
The latest move indicates that the earlier name will now be restored at the entrance. The university administration’s explanation centres on the absence of a Senate decision supporting the retention of the recent name changes.
The change also highlights the importance of formal university procedures in determining the names of halls and other institutional facilities. While students and campus groups may express demands or take initiatives around naming, permanent institutional changes ordinarily involve decisions by the relevant university authorities.
For students, alumni and members of the university community, hall names carry historical and institutional significance. The names displayed at major entrances are not simply signs identifying buildings; they are also part of the university’s institutional identity and public memory.
The return of the previous name therefore comes amid continuing discussion over how university spaces should be named and how such decisions should be made. The immediate physical change, however, is clear: the words ‘Shaheed Osman Hadi Hall’ are being removed from the gate, paving the way for the return of ‘Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall’.
The restoration follows the university administration’s stated position that no Senate decision was taken to retain the recent changes. The final appearance of the gate will consequently reflect the name that the hall had carried before the December 2025 change.
