Criticism sparks over renaming IU's hall after Shah Azizur Rahman

The criticism sparked across the country over renaming the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall of Islamic University (IU) to Shah Azizur Rahman Hall.

Shah Azizur Rahman was the subject of considerable controversy for his collaboration with the Pakistan Army against the struggle for the independence of Bangladesh.

The decision was made at 267th syndicate meeting held on the campus in Kushtia on February 26 with IU Vice-Chancellor Professor Nakib Mohmmad Nasrullah in the chair.

The netizen started criticizing the decision just after the news of changing the name of Bangabandhu Hall to Shah Azizur Rahman Hall escalated.

Rahman opposed the Language Movement in 1952. Then he, during the Liberation War, became a member of the cabinet led by Abdul Motaleb Malik of the then East Pakistan, serving as the Revenue Minister later.

He opposed the Liberation War and was part of the delegation sent by Pakistan to the United Nations, where he strongly denied that the Pakistan Army had carried out genocide in Bangladesh through "Operation Searchlight.

Shah Azizur Rahman was arrested as a collaborator of Pakistan for opposing the Liberation War and was tried under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order, 1972.

The university authorities also renamed three other halls following the direction of the Education Ministry's Secondary and Higher Education Division.

A press release, signed by IU acting-registrar HM Ali Hasan, was issued in this regard on Wednesday.

According to the press release, the names of Sheikh Hasina Hall has been renamed as 'July-36 Hall', Sheikh Russell Hall as 'Shahid Anas Hall', Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall as 'Ummul Mumineen Ayesha Siddiqah Hall' and Wazed Miah Science Building as 'Ibn Sina Science Building'.

HK