Barisal: The demand for implementation of the government's proposal to name the government Barisal College after Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutt at the residence of Ashwini Kumar Dutt is getting stronger. The implementation committee has given a memorandum to the Barisal Divisional Commissioner and the Chairman of the Barisal Education Board demanding speedy naming. A separate memorandum was also issued to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to keep the law and order situation under control.

Sunday (July 19) at 12 noon Metropolitan Police Commissioner. The memorandum was handed over by Shahabuddin Khan, Barisal Education Board Chairman Mohammad Yunus at 12:30 pm and Divisional Commissioner Amitabh Sarkar at 1pm on behalf of the implementation committee.

Advocate Manabendra Botbal, Convener of Government Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutt College Naming Implementation Committee, Joint Convener KSA Mohiuddin Manik Bir Pratik, Member Secretary Saifur Rahman Miran, Coordinator Snehangshu Biswas, Committee Member and Barisal Aware Citizens were present at the occasion. President Prof. Shah Shajeda, Presidium Member of Bangladesh Group Theater Federation Shubhankar Chakraborty, Presidium Member of Bangladesh Recitation Coordination Council Ajmal Hossain Labu, President of Barisal Reporters Unity Sushant Ghosh, District President of Workers Party of Bangladesh Nazrul Haque Nilu, President of Bangladesh Trade Union Center Bangladesh Socialist Party (BSD) Member Secretary. Manisha Chakraborty, district president of Bangladesh Students Union Sampa Das and others.

It has been mentioned in the memorandum that one of the foremost personalities of the independence movement of undivided India was Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutta, the son of Barisal and Bangladesh. People of all walks of life in Barisal have been agitating for decades to name the Barisal Government College after him. Following the movement, a gazette notification was issued naming the government Barisal College after Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutt. It is also a recognition of the long-standing movement and demands of the people of Barisal. Therefore, this proposal should be implemented immediately.

The residence of Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutt was acquired by the government during the tenure of the government of Pakistan. The cosmopolitan dormitory of Brajmohan College was established at his residence as he had always believed in secularism. 'Barisal Night College' was established at his residence in 1966. After the independence of Bangladesh, Naish College was first transformed into Barisal Diba and Naish College. Later it was renamed as 'Barisal College'. When it was nationalized in 1986, the new name of the college was 'Government Barisal College'. In 1990, Ashwini Kumar's residence was demolished.

When the same demand was made to the present Deputy Commissioner to change the name of Government Barisal College to Government Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutt College, he sent a recommendation to the Ministry of Education in February to investigate the matter. Based on that recommendation, the Ministry of Education has taken positive steps in principle. The memorandum called for speedy implementation of the move.