Summary:
- BSMMU’s convention center has been officially renamed from Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Convention Centre to Shaheed Abu Sayed International Convention Centre through an order signed on January 7, 2025.
- The renaming decision was approved during the university’s 94th syndicate meeting on December 12, 2024, honoring Abu Sayed, a student martyr from the July-August 2024 uprising.
- The university has cancelled two previous naming decisions from 2021 and 2022, including the naming of University Doctors’ Hall as Sheikh Russell International Doctors’ Hall.
- Abu Sayed, a 23-year-old student from Begum Rokeya University, was killed during anti-discrimination protests that led to significant political changes in Bangladesh.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) has officially renamed its convention center to honor Shaheed Abu Sayed, a student martyr of the July-August 2024 uprising. The facility, formerly known as Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Convention Centre, will now be called the “Shaheed Abu Sayed International Convention Centre.”
The decision was finalized through an office order signed by BSMMU Registrar Professor Md Nazrul Islam on January 7, 2025, following approval from the university’s 94th syndicate meeting held on December 12, 2024[2][5].
Abu Sayed, a 23-year-old student from Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR), was killed by police on July 16, 2024, during the anti-discrimination protests that ultimately led to significant political changes in Bangladesh[3]. His death marked one of the pivotal moments in the student-led movement that resulted in the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the formation of an interim government[1].
The university administration has also revoked two previous naming decisions: the 2021 resolution that initially named the center after Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, and the 2022 decision to name the University Doctors’ Hall as Sheikh Russell International Doctors’ Hall[2].
This renaming represents a significant shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape following the July-August uprising, which resulted in over 1,000 casualties and led to major governmental changes, including the establishment of an interim government under Muhammad Yunus[1].
The decision to honor Abu Sayed, described as a “martyr of the July-August uprising” in the official order, reflects the lasting impact of the 2024 student movement on Bangladesh’s institutions and public memory[6].
Source: TBS News
