4/5 Mehedi H. S. 2 years ago on Google
Madhur
Canteen
(Bengali:
মধুর
রেস্তোরা,
romanized:
Modhur
restora,
lit. 'Madhu's
canteen')
is
a
familiar
name
in
the
history
of
the
Dhaka
University
as
well
as
in
the
national
politics
of
Bangladesh
because
of
its
association
with
various
political
movements
which
originated
from
the
Dhaka
University.
The
canteen's
current
location
holds
important
architectural
and
heritage
value.
Madhur
Canteen
মধুর
রেস্তোরা
Modhur
Canteen
1.A.M.R.jpg
Wikimedia
|
©
OpenStreetMap
General
information
Location
Dhaka
University
Town
or
city
Dhaka
Country
Bangladesh
Coordinates
23.731547°N
90.392497°E
Groundbreaking
1873
Renovation
cost
free
Client
students
Landlord
DU
The
compound
of
the
canteen
Madhusudan
Dey
(Modhu),
the
canteen's
founder,
is
an
equally
important
figure
in
the
socio-political
history
of
the
region.
He
was
killed
on
25
March
1971
at
the
beginning
of
the
Bangladesh
Liberation
War.
As
part
of
Operation
Searchlight,
the
Pakistan
Army
attacked
the
Dhaka
University.
Madhusudan
Dey
was
taken
to
Jagannath
Hall
by
the
Pakistani
armed
forces
where
he
was
executed
along
with
many
university
students.
After
the
Liberation
War,
Arun
Kumar
Dey
assumed
the
responsibility
of
running
the
canteen.[1]
Years
after
Modhu's
death,
the
canteen
remains
a
significant
landmark
and
also
a
place
for
gathering
in
the
community.[2]
Origin Edit
Madhur
Canteen
was
started
in
1921,
when
Madhusudan
Dey
(Modhu)
came
to
Dhaka
with
his
father,
Aditya
Chandra,
at
the
age
of
15.
Aditya
Chandra,
with
the
permission
of
the
university
authorities,
began
selling
food
in
the
Dhaka
University
Campus
which
was,
at
the
time,
located
in
the
present
Dhaka
Medical
College
building.
The
canteen
was
shifted
later
when
the
Arts
Faculty
of
the
university
was
shifted
to
a
new
building
at
Nilkhet.
Madhur
canteen
played
a
pivotal
role
in
the
Bangladesh
Liberation
Movement.
It
was
the
focal
point
for
the
start
of
various
political
movements
in
the
country.
The
canteen
played
a
significant
part
in
the
Language
Movements
of
1948
and
1952,
the
movement
of
fourth-class
Dhaka
University
employees
in
1949,
the
student's
revolt
against
the
black
laws
(kala
kanoon)
of
the
university,
and
the
1969
mass
uprising
in
East
Pakistan.
During
these
critical
political
moments,
Madhur
Canteen
was
a
social
epicentre
frequented
by
student
leaders
and
activists.
The
Pakistani
army
targeted
Madhur
Canteen
on
25
March
1971,
with
the
beginning
of
operation
Searchlight.[3]
Massacre Edit
Madhusudan
Dey
was
killed
on
26
March
1971.
The
Pakistani
military
stormed
his
house
and
started
firing
in
the
early
morning
hours.
Dey's
wife,
son
and
daughter-in-law
were
amongst
those
killed.
Madhusudan
Dey
was
injured
in
the
firing,
arrested
and
taken
to
the
Jagannath
Hall
playground
where
he
was
killed
alongside
many
students.[4]
Madhur
Canteen
was
reconstructed
after
suffering
severe
damage
during
the
liberation
war.
The
canteen
was
relocated
from
its
original
location
in
the
present-day
Dhaka
Medical
college
building
to
an
old
structure.
The
canteen's
present
location
served
as
the
Durbar
Hall
of
the
Dhaka
Nawabs.
Apart
from
being
used
as
a
venue
for
formal
and
informal
meetings,
it
also
served
as
a
skating
rink
and
ballroom
for
the
enjoyment
of
the
Nawabs.
Construction
of
the
building
began
in
1873
which
continued
over
several
years.[5]
In
1906,
a
conference
was
held
in
the
building,
sponsored
by
Nawab
Khwaja
Salimullah,
the
Nawab
of
Dhaka
that
led
to
the
formation
of
the
All-India
Muslim
League.[4]
Toufiq
Hosen
Khan,
a
student
of
fine
arts,
engraved
a
statue
of
Madhusudan
Dey
in
1995,
which
remains
in
front
of
the
Madhur
Canteen
to
the
present
day.[6][1]
