Afruza Ava

Foundation background and history

Year 1962, At that time, the educational institutions of our region cum East Pakistan were conducted through English and Urdu. That means the whole teaching process of college universities was in English and Urdu medium. The Founder 'Tamddun Majlis' Principal Abul Qasem, who played an active role in the Language Movement, realized that although the demand to make Bengal the state language was accepted, it was not yet implemented in every part of the country.

At that time, Tomuddun Majlis, Bengali language soldiers, and several educationists demanded that the Bengali language should be taught in conventional higher education, but Urdu lovers ridiculed this demand in many ways. They even said that if education was started through Bengali, only 'Bengali Maulvi’ would be born.

After this, it became very necessary to establish a Bengali University to introduce Bengali medium in the educational institutions of higher education and to promote the use of the Bengali language at all levels as an official language. From the chase of this necessity, a committee was formed with principal Abul Qasem, several educationists, and important personalities of the language movement. According to the decision of this committee "Bangla College" was established on 1st October 1962 as a preliminary step towards the goal of establishing "Bangla University".

Bangla College was the first Bengali-medium College in Pakistan at that time. Its founder was Principal Abul Qasem. The famous writer and researcher Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah who made unique contributions to Bengali language and grammar was included as the president of the Founder committee. Besides Principal Ibrahim Khan, Dr. Inas Ali, and other eminent educationists, journalists, and linguists were also present on the committee.

Being established in 1962 - thereafter the initial activities of Bangla College started at Nabakumar Institute, Bakshi Bazar. After 7-8 consecutive years of operation at the Nabakumar Institute as a night college, the permanent premises of the Bangla College were shifted to Mirpur in the capital. At present, the traditional Government Bangla College stands proudly as the largest in Mirpur and one of the largest government colleges in the capital with a sprawling campus covering a total of 25 acres of land.

Bangla College celebrated its 61st anniversary on October 1, 2023. But even after so many years, the aims and objectives of establishing this Bangla College, which was born as the initial initiative of establishing a "Bangla University", have not been fulfilled. The students and teachers of the College have demanded several times to make this college a Bangla University which has a history of Bengali language and liberation war. Yesterday, on the 61st foundation anniversary of the Government Bangla College on 1 October, the students of the college expressed their hope and demanded that the Bangla College be made a "Bangla University" as part of fulfilling the goal of preserving and establishing the traditions of the language movement.

Infrastructure and other

The total area of Government Bangla College is about 25 acres. There are a total of 7-8 buildings standing on the college campus. The two newly constructed Grandiose buildings have elevator services, a digital auditorium, and an extensive library among other educational facilities. As part of the residential facilities for the students of the college, there 2 student halls are at running (2 more halls are proposed ) for the transport service of non-resident students and teachers, there are 2 college buses.

The back side of the college has picturesque surroundings with lakes and natural diversity. Extensive green fields and shaded roads with trees increase the beauty of the college. and the natural environment, the combination of various trees and flowers planted throughout the college has given one of the dimensions to the beauty of the courtyard.

Departments and faculties

Although Bangla College started functioning only as a higher secondary and Degree College at the time of its establishment, honors, and master's courses were introduced in the college after becoming a government college in 1985 and its affiliation with the National University in 1997. At present, a total of 19 honors subjects are offered under these 3 faculties, including 7 in the Faculty of Science, 4 in the Faculty of Education in Business, and 8 in the Faculty of Social and Arts. There are more than 14 master's courses available in this college. In 2016, the college has been affiliated to the University of Dhaka. At present, Dhaka University authorities are working to improve the quality of education in 7 Government Colleges of the capital, including Government Bangla College, by following the syllabus, and standards of Dhaka University in these subjects.

Teachers and students

In total, about 18-20 thousand students, including Higher Secondary, honors, and masters, are studying at Government Bangla College. There are about 167 teachers and educators employed in the BCS education cadre in the positions of professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and lecturers. The present principal of the college is Prof. Md Jahangir Hossain and the vice-principal is Prof. Mitul Chowdhury. Professor Saima Feroze is the head of the Department of Bangla.

Co-curriculum and cultural organizations

Government Bangla College has achieved unprecedented success in co-curriculum and cultural activities in the last few decades. Several other organizations are working on co-educational activities in the college including debating society, youth theatre, Journalists ' Association.

● Bangla College Debating Society (BCDS)
In 1996, Bangla College started its first debate practice. Then in 2016, the only central debate organization of the college was officially re-established with the name 'Bangla College Debating Society(BCDS)'. Since its inception, the organization has continued to practice debate in colleges and outside colleges. The Bangla College Debating Society has won numerous accolades in television debate competitions, and various inter-university debate competitions organized at the national level. So far, BCDS has prospered with several achievements at the same time glorifying Government Bangla College numerous times in various national competitions and television debates. At present, the Bangla College Debating Society is working on the promotion and practice of debates, in addition to training students in debate, debate practice and actively participating in various national debate competitions outside the college.

● Bangla College Youth Theatre
Bangla College Youth Theatre was established in 2005 and started campus theatre activities with acting and drama. In addition, this cultural organization has been leading one of the roles of the campus theater movement in the country. Presently, the staff of Bangla College Youth Theatre is working on campus and off-campus including staging, and training drama students.

● Bangla College Journalists ' Association
The Bangla College Journalist Association was established in 2019. Founded just a few years ago, BCJA has already emerged as one of the most active organizations in the college. A significant number of journalists have been working with a reputation in various national media of the country including Mohana TV, Aajker Khobor, Naya Shatabdi, Asian TV, rising BD, manavkantha, country today.
In addition, the college has other coeducational organizations like as

● Bangla College Science Club
● Bangla College Recitation Parliament
● Bandhan (voluntary blood donor organization)
● Bangla College of film and photography Parliament
● Red Crescent
● Clean and green campus
● Save the Future Foundation
● BNCC (Army, Navy
● Rover scout
● Bangla College ranger unit (Girl Guides
● Bangla College Fencing Club

Contribution of Bangla College to the advancement of education and language Since its inception, the college has played an active role in the movement to establish the Bengali language at all national levels, including education. Under the leadership of principal Abul Kasem, all the related demands like formulating questions in the Bangla language, and starting the tradition of Bangla medium were implemented through the active movement of the students and teachers of the then Bangla College. Subsequently, the Government Bangla College has made numerous contributions leading to the overall development of education through Bangla. Many of the teachers and professors, including the then-founding principal of Bangla College, have been unpaid, some have taught and agitated for a nominal salary, to enrich the practice of teaching through Bangla until Bangla College was made official in 1985. These movements and activities of the Government Bangla colleges played an indispensable role in establishing teaching through Bangla medium and the use of Bangla in all spheres of national life even before independence.

Bangla College in the history of liberation war

During the great liberation war of 1971, the Bangla College was taken over by a Pakistani soldier. The college was blocked for nine months, during that time the name was changed to Bangla College instead of ‘Urdu College’. Some of the rooms in the college's administration building were made into torture cells. Burial grounds and mass graves were built at various places in the college.

Later, as an initiative to preserve the history of the liberation war, the "slaughterhouse conservation and renovation" project was undertaken under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Ferdowsi Khan the former principal of Bangla College memorial plaque marking and identifying the college's burial grounds has been erected with the help of the college's Vice-Principal Prof. Md Jahangir Hossein, some teachers, and students.

The room used as a torture cell by the Pakistani invaders has been turned into a "liberation war gallery". The historical room has become enriched with the spirit of national history through the display of shelves arranged with books on the Liberation War, documentaries, and various images intertwined with history.

Apart from the liberation war, the College in the capital has always contributed as an active part in all movements related to independence including the 1969 mass movement. Every brick stone of the Government Bangla College is inscribed with the history of Bangla and Bengali, their misery, their awakening, and their victory. The language movement, the people's uprising, the liberation war, and all other national histories are a common part of Bangla College. The college bearing the name" Bangla "has been injured every time there has been an attack on Bangla and Bengali, just like the name change of" Bangla College "to" Urdu College". So the history of our becoming "Bengali" and the story of Bangla College will be built on the same thread forever.