RSC demands renaming DU Arts Building after Shaheed Nazir

The Revolutionary Students' Council (RSC) on Sunday submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, urging the renaming of the university’s Arts Building in honour of Nazir Ahmed, the institution's first martyr. 

This demand was made as part of the organisation's observance of the 82nd martyrdom anniversary of Nazir Ahmed, an iconic figure in the history of student movements and communal struggles.

Observing the martyrdom anniversary

Leaders of the RSC, along with members of the National Revolutionary Council (NRC), paid homage to Shaheed Nazir Ahmed by offering prayers at his gravesite in Azimpur Graveyard. To commemorate the day, they also organised a milad mahfil and prayer session at the university’s central mosque.

Among those present at Azimpur Graveyard were Md. Shafiur Rahman (organizational head of NRC), Rabeya Akhter (joint convener of NRC), Dr. Masum Billah (assistant member secretary of NRC), Md. Mamunur Rashid (member of NRC), Abdul Wahed (convener of RSC), Fazlur Rahman (member secretary of RSC), Yamin Sarkar (joint convener of RSC), Golam Noor Shafayetullah and Niaz Ahmed (joint conveners of the Dhaka University branch of RSC), Ariful Islam (convener of Bangladesh Islamic University branch of RSC), and Md. Farhad Ahmed Ali (member secretary of the Bangladesh Islamic University branch of RSC).

Martyr Nazir Ahmed

Calling for justice and recognition

The RSC described Shaheed Nazir Ahmed as one of the "iconic Islamophobic victims" in world Muslim history. They alleged that during British colonial rule, Nazir Ahmed's contributions and martyrdom were deliberately erased from historical records to conceal the communal violence perpetrated by Hindu landlords and later Hindutva activists against Muslims in the subcontinent, including Bangladesh.

The council highlighted that although communal Hindu students were responsible for Shaheed Nazir Ahmed's murder, ordinary Hindu students once joined Muslim students in observing his martyrdom anniversary under university auspices until 1952. 

However, due to a deep-seated conspiracy, these celebrations ceased, and no university establishment has been named in his honour.

Abdul Wahed, convener of the RSC, and Fazlur Rahman, member secretary of the RSC, called on Dhaka University authorities and the government to address the longstanding Islamophobic sentiments surrounding Shaheed Nazir Ahmed. They emphasized the need to recognize his legacy, particularly following the anti-discrimination uprising of July 2024.

The life and legacy of Shaheed Nazir 

Born into a poor Muslim family in Alipur village of the then-Noakhali district (now Feni) during the colonial era, Nazir Ahmed overcame poverty to excel academically. After passing his secondary school exams in 1937 and higher secondary school from Feni College in 1939, he joined Dhaka University's Bengali department for his undergraduate studies. He earned distinction in his honours examination in 1942 and was pursuing his MA at the time of his martyrdom.

Shaheed Nazir Ahmed was a prominent student leader at Salimullah Muslim Hall and played a pivotal role in the Pakistan movement aimed at liberating Bangladesh as a Muslim state from British colonial rule. 

As the leader of the Muslim Students' Council, he managed the fortnightly newspaper ‘Pakistan’, edited by Professors Abdur Razzak and Syed Sajjad Hossain.

The tragic incident

According to historical accounts, in late January 1943, Muslim students at a joint function with Hindu students objected to the singing of "Vande Mataram" and certain worship rites. On February 2, communal Hindu students attacked Muslim students during classes at Kala Bhaban (now the old building of Dhaka Medical College). During the assault, Shaheed Nazir Ahmed was severely beaten and repeatedly stabbed. Despite being rushed to Mitford Hospital by his fellow students, he succumbed to his injuries during Maghrib prayers, unable to stop the bleeding from his wounds.

Pallikabi Jasim Uddin, a renowned Bengali poet and teacher at the university, was beside his deathbed. At the time of his death, Nazir Ahmed was preparing to sit for his MA examination in 1943 but became a martyr before fulfilling this goal.