Gazipur Digital University students demand name change, hold sit-in before UGC for second day

Students of Gazipur Digital University continued their sit-in in front of the University Grants Commission (UGC) office in Agargaon for the second consecutive day today (20 May), demanding the university's name be changed.

The protest began with a long march from the university campus to Dhaka yesterday (19 May). Protestors have said they will continue the protest until the education ministry assures them the issue will be raised at the next advisory council meeting.

A member of the University Grants Commission (UGC) told TBS that a decision was taken in the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council in Bangladesh (ECNEC) meeting held after 5 August that universities named after Sheikh Mujib and his family members would have their names changed to more locally relevant ones.

Accordingly, the university was renamed Gazipur Digital University.

However, since universities are meant for students, and the students want a new name, the UGC is supportive of their demand, he added.

"That said, any name change must follow a process. Typically, such changes are finalised in an ECNEC meeting. Therefore, until the next ECNEC meeting is held, the name cannot be officially changed," added the UGC official.

Students have been protesting to change the current name since February, calling it misleading and inadequate. They have proposed four alternative names and are demanding that one of those be finalised.