Madhur Canteen
| Madhur Canteen | |
|---|---|
| মধুর রেস্তোরা | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location |
 Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Groundbreaking | 1873 |
Madhur Canteen (meaning Madhu’s canteen) is a familiar name in the history of Dhaka University as well as in the history of national politics of Bangladesh. Mainly from the late 1940‘s, Madhur's canteen has been associated with many national movements that originated from Dhaka university. Many renowned writers, social workers, and political leaders have spent significant time meeting in that place.
The present location was established in 1967 when the canteen was shifted to the old structure formerly used as a Durbar Hall or conference hall of the Dhaka Nawabs. The building has important architectural and heritage value.
Madhu Sudan Dey, Modhu, is also equally important in socio-political history of the region. He was killed on 25 March 1971 just at the beginning of the Liberation War of Bangladesh, taken to Jagannath Hall by the Pakistani military, and executed there. Even after Modhu’s death, the place remains a significant landmark not only as a canteen but also as a place of gathering and happenings in the history of the country.
History of the canteen
The history of Madhur Canteen dates back to 1921 when Mhoushudan De (Modhu) at the age of 15 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. Madhur Canteen remains a socio-culturally and politically important place for the Dhaka University students as well as the citizens of Dhaka.
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Sculpture of Madhu Sudan Dey at the canteen
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Sculpture of Madhu Sudan Dey at the canteen
History of the present building
The present building was used as the Darbar Hall of the Dhaka nawabs which was actually a focal part of the Shah bagh Amenabagh gardens (present campus). Construction of the building began in 1873 and took place over several years.[1] 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 Nawabs. So the building has importance as an architectural heritage of Dhaka.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madhur Canteen DU. |
- Muntassir Mamoon 2003 Dhaka Shomogro, ISBN 984-412-264-5 984-412-369-0
- Mahbubur Rahman 2011, City of an architect, ISBN 978-984-33-2451-1
- Gopal Das 2007, Manidipto Campus