Curzon Hall

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Curzon Hall
কার্জন হল
Curzon Hall Panorama.jpg
Front view
Curzon Hall
General information
StatusIn use
Location Shahbagh Thana, Dhaka
CountryBangladesh
Coordinates 23°43′39″N90°24′07″E / 23.727389°N 90.401902°E / 23.727389; 90.401902
Groundbreaking19 February 1904
Owner University of Dhaka

The Curzon Hall is a British Raj-era building and home of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Dhaka, located in Shahbagh. [1]

Contents

The building was originally intended to be a town hall and is named after Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India who laid its foundation stone in 1904. [1] Upon the establishment of Dacca University in 1921, it became the base of the university's science faculty.

Language movement

During the Bengali Language Movement, 1948–1956, Curzon Hall was the location of various significant events. After the Partition of India in 1947 that formed the country of Pakistan, Urdu was chosen to be the sole state language. In 1948, the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan chose Urdu and English as the only languages to be used to address the assembly, which was protested within the assembly on the grounds that the majority of the people spoke Bangla and not Urdu. [2] Students of Dhaka University objected instantly to the actions of the Constituent Assembly, [2] and it was in Curzon Hall that they declared their opposition to the state language policy. [1]

Facilities

The Botanical Garden of the university is located on the premises of Curzon Hall, and is used by students and faculty for teaching botany and for scientific studies with plants. [3]

Architecture

Architecture of the structure Architecture of Curzon Hall 6.jpg
Architecture of the structure

One of the best examples of Dhaka's architecture, it is a happy blend of European and Mughal elements, particularly noticeable in the projecting facade in the north which has both horse-shoe and cusped arches.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Perween Hasan (2012). "Curzon Hall". In Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal (ed.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  2. 1 2 Bashir Al Helal (2012). "Language Movement". In Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal (ed.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  3. Zia Uddin Ahmed (2012). "Botanical Garden". In Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal (ed.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.