Dbarta24 Report — Dhaka University (DU) authorities have begun restoring the official title marker at the entrance of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, removing the “Shahid Osman Hadi Hall” banner that had been placed there by student leaders during a wave of renaming demands.
The work to strip away the temporary “Shahid Osman Hadi Hall” sign began around 2:00 PM on Wednesday (September 30). Officials confirmed that the hall administration took action in response to student requests to end persistent identity confusion and restore the hall’s original registered designation.
Clearing Identity Confusion
The makeshift renaming had caused ongoing visual and logistical issues for visitors, students, and administration over recent months.
Abdullah Al Noman, the Outdoor Sports Secretary of the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall Student Union, explained the practical challenges:
“Many people visiting Dhaka University’s Mujib Hall faced confusion regarding which hall it actually was.”
Supporting the measure, the hall’s Senior Administrative Officer, Md. Joban Ali, confirmed the administration’s stance:
“In response to the demands of the students, the hall administration is working to return the name to its previous state.”Background: The Debate Over DU Infrastructure Names
The unofficial renaming traces back to December 19 of last year, when hall union leaders hung a banner proclaiming the building “Shahid Osman Hadi Hall” at approximately 2:30 AM. At the time, Hall Union General Secretary Al Sabah stated that signatures had been collected from hall residents, with a majority supporting a name change.
However, formal structural renaming at Dhaka University remains a contested administrative and political matter. The decision to revert the signage follows months of friction within university governing bodies regarding infrastructure named after members of the Sheikh family.
On June 29, 2026, during DU’s annual Senate session, five student representatives from the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) staged a walkout after Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A.B.M. Obaidul Islam referred proposals to rename five university structures back to the Syndicate without taking a final vote.
The walkout included prominent DUCSU leaders, including Vice President (VP) Sadiq Kayem, General Secretary (GS) S.M. Farhad, Assistant General Secretary (AGS) Muhammad Mahiuddin, Transport Secretary Asif Abdullah, and Member Sabikun Nahar Tamanna.
With the official signage now being restored at the main gate, the university administration continues its effort to maintain standard administrative protocol across campus facilities pending formal policy decisions by the Syndicate.