Madhur Canteen (meaning Madhu’s canteen) is a familiar name in the history of Dhaka University and as well as the history of national politics of Bangladesh. Mainly form the late 40‘s and the Madhur canteen as a place has been associated with many national movements that originated from Dhaka university. Many renowned writers, social workers, political leaders have passed significant amount of time conglomerating together in that place. However the present look of the canteen came in 1967 when the canteen was shifted to the presently existing old structure formerly used as Durbar Hall or Conference halls of the Dhaka Nawabs. Modhushudon Chndra or Modhu is also equally important in socio-political history of the region who was killed on 25 March 1971 just at the early moments of the Liberation War of Bangladesh. Even after Modhu’s death the place not only as a canteen but also as a place of gathering and happenings, remains a significant landmark in the history of the country. The present building also has important archite®ctural and heritage value.
The history of Madhur Canteen dates back to 1921 when Mhoushudan De (Modhu) at the age of 1 5 came to Dhaka with his father Aditya Chandra. Aditya Chandra, with the permission of the authority started selling food in the Dhaka University Campus then situated in the present Dhaka Medical College building. Later when the Arts Faculty of Dhaka University was shifted to a new building at Nilkhet Madhur Canteen was situated in the premises of the Arts Faculty and the adjacent Darbar Hall of the past Nawabs of Dhaka became the new Modur Canteen. Modhushudan De was killed by Pakistan military along with other family members in the 25th march’s night massacre. Modhushudan’s surviving daughter was hospitalized in Dhaka and later in India who returned from India after the victory and started the canteen again in the present building on 16 January 1972. The building was severely damaged during the liberation war as the Pakistan forces had an intense grudge on the building being a socio-political and cultural hub for the Bangladeshi people. So the building was reconstructed after the liberation war. Till than Madhur Canteen remains a socio-culturally and politically important place for the Dhaka University students as well as the citizens of Dhaka.
The present building was being used as the Darbar Hall of the Dhaka nawabs which was actually a focal part of the Shah bagh Amenabagh gardens (present campus). The whole Shahbagh,area was actually filled with gardens and canals starting from the Dholai khal linking to the Hatir Jheel and the place was used as leisure and recreation space of the Naewabs. So the building has importance as an architectural heritage of Dhaka.