Govt. Bangla College-সরকারি বাঙলা কলেজ

Govt. Bangla College

Location: Govt. Bangla College is located on the north-west corner of Dhaka Mega city, along the western side of Mirpur Darus-salam Road. It is spread over a land of 57 Bigha (16.18 Acre), offering a serene and noise-free natural atmosphere.

Nomenclature: The name ‘Bangla College’ might seem ordinary now, but it held significant meaning in the past. During the time of Pakistan, English was the medium of instruction in all spheres of higher education. Urdu was also introduced as a medium of instruction in a high school at Mirpur and a college in Karachi. To counter this, some eminent scholars of the country wanted to establish a Bangla University to encourage students to study in Bangla Medium and popularize the practice of science. The establishment of Bangla College was the first step in this regard. At a time when English was used in all colleges, Bangla was used only in this college. Thus, the nomenclature was both appropriate and significant.

Historical Background: In 1947, after the division, the then Pakistani rulers declared ‘Urdu’ the state language, neglecting the vernacular of the majority of people living in the then East Pakistan. This led to a movement to establish Bangla as the state language, culminating in the events of 21 February,1952. Later in 1956, Bangla was recognized as the most prominent state language. However, there were many complaints against this language in terms of its usages in office, court, and as a medium of education. A number of prominent scholars took initiatives to remove these obstacles. On the 15th of February, 1961, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Mohammad Shahidullah, a meeting was held at Bangla Academy where it was decided to establish ‘Bangla College’ as the first step to set up a ‘Bangla University’. The college began its activities in 1962 on a temporary basis at Nobokumar Institute of Bakshi Bazar. In 1968, after the completion of necessary buildings, Bangla College was shifted to its present site. The Bengali Nationalism came into being from the language movement and based upon this particular point, the Bengali Nation, under the dynamic guidance of the Father of the Nation, liberated this country. The People’s Republic of Bangladesh nationalized this college on 21 February, 1985. The system of co-education was introduced from the very beginning of this college.