Bangabandhu and Baker Hostel

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is a name that evokes a sense of patriotism and pride among the people of Bangladesh. He was the father of the nation and the architect of the country’s independence. However, his legacy extends far beyond Bangladesh, and one such legacy is the Baker Government Hostel of Islamia College (now Maulana Azad College) in Kolkata.

Baker Hostel was established in 1910 for Muslim students of the Calcutta University. But most of the seats were reserved for the students of the then Islamia College which now has been renamed as Maulana Azad College. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman stayed at the hostel when he was studying at Islamia College in Kolkata between 1945 and 1946. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu took an initiative to build a museum merging rooms-23 and room-24 at the hostel on a request of the then Bangladesh government in 1998.

Late on 31 July, 1998, former Kolkata higher Education Minister Satya Sadhan Chakraborty inaugurated the museum. Bed, chair, table and shelf used by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman are kept in the room.

It was one of the few government-funded hostels for Muslims in the city at that time. The hostel provided accommodation to students from all over India and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Bangabandhu was not just a student at the hostel; he was also a leader. He was elected as the general secretary of the hostel’s student union and was actively involved in the politics of the hostel and the college. He was a vocal advocate of the rights of Muslim students and worked tirelessly to ensure that their voices were heard. The Baker Government Hostel was not just a place for students to stay; it was also a hub of political activity. Many of the hostel’s residents were politically active, and it was a place where ideas were exchanged, and movements were born. The hostel played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of Bengal and, indeed, India.

Islamia College in Kolkata holds immense importance for Bangladesh and the region as a whole. It is a testament to the role that education and politics played in shaping the destiny of a nation and the legacy of one of its greatest sons, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Editorial Desk