Comilla Victoria Government College

Comilla Victoria Government College (Bengali: কুমিল্লা ভিক্টোরিয়া সরকারি কলেজ) is a college in Comilla, Bangladesh. It is one of the oldest and renowned colleges in Comilla as well as in Chittagong division. The college is located on 29 acres of land including its intermediate and honors section.^[1]

History

Landlord of that time, Roy Bahadur Anandra Chandra Roy, established the college on 24 September 1899.^[2] Anandra Chandra Roy was a renowned patron of promoting and developing education in the district. He was a contractor by profession and accordingly set aside a large amount of money to establish a college for the development of higher education in Comilla. Comilla Victoria College was thus born to fulfill his long cherished dream. In recognition of his noble endeavour, the British Government awarded him the title “Roy Bahadur” after the establishment of the college. A white sculpture was built in front of the main gate of intermediate section of the college to keep the memory of Roy Bahadur alive.^[1] Queen Victoria was the empress of India from 1876 to 1901. At that time, Comilla was under the rule of the empire, hence the college was named as Comilla Victoria College.

Sattendranath Boshu was the first principal of the college. He was the headmaster of former Comilla Victoria School. He remained the principal of the college until his death. He was a scholar as well as a researcher of literature. He was also a professor of English and was awarded Rabindranath Prize for his outstanding contribution to literature.^[1] Prof. Fazlul Karim was the first Muslim teacher of this college in 1937. He later became the Vice Prinncipal of the college in 1958 until his retirement in 1972 when the college was made a government college.

Campus

Victoria College is located on 29 acres (120,000 m²) of land including its intermediate and honors section.

Academics

There are 129 teachers in this college against 150 posts. But this small number of teachers is not sufficient address such a huge number of students. The total number of departments of the college stands at 18. The departments are Accounting and Management department of Business faculty, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Zoology, Botany, Mathematics, Statistics of Science faculty and English, Social Science, Social Welfare, History, Islamic History, Political Science, Economics, Philosophy and Arabic of Arts faculty. At present, the college has 15,000 students and 147 teachers, of whom 36 are women.

The college always stands first in Comilla Board on the basis of good result in HSC. Meritorious students try to get admission in this college because of its name and fame. Students of the Honours section also do very well in examinations. Most of the time students of this college get top positions in exams held under the national university.^[1]

Extracurricular activities

Students of the college regularly take part in debate. They won many prizes from BTV and others debate competitions. Bangladesh National Cadet Core (BNCC), Rover Scouts are also working at the college. Sandhani and Badhon, two leading blood donation organizations of the country, regularly organise blood donation programmes on the campus where students and teachers participate voluntarily.

Cultural programmes are also organized. Victoria College Chhatra Sangshad played a vital role during the 1952 language movement and the 1962 movement against Ayub Khan. It was also actively involved in the Liberation War of 1971.

Freedom fighters

The Memorial inside the campus commemorating the sacrifice of the freedom fighters who were students of the college.

Many students of Comilla Victoria College joined the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971. At least 334 students participated in the war of whom 35 sacrificed their lives for the noble cause. Major Rafiqul Islam, Saheed Khaza Nizam uddin got the recognition of "Bir Uttom" and Lieutenant Colonel Akbar Hossain, Saheed Abdul Momin got “Bir Protik” respectively who were the students of this college. Advocate Abdul Matin Khosru, Prof. Ali Asraf, AHM Mostafa Kamal (Lotus Kamal), AKM Baha Uddin Baher, who also participated in the war, were students of this college.^[1] A memorial has been built inside the campus commemorating the sublime contribution of the these freedom fighters.

Housing

Comilla Victoria College has five dormitories: four for boys and one for girls. About 1,000 students reside in these dormitories.

Notable alumni

• Sachin Dev Burman, musician.
• Abdul Awal Mintoo, passed HSC exam from this institute in 1966 in science group.^[3]
• Kazi Shamsul Hoque, a journalist, editor of weekly Akhon Samoy, New York, USA passed B.A. from this college.
• Professor Fazlul Halim Chowdhury (1 August 1930–9 April 1996) was the longest-serving (1976–1983) vice-chancellor of Dhaka University. He passed HSC exam from this college in science in 1947.
• TV presenter Hanif Sanket
• Rural development propagator and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan was a principal of the college in the 1950s.
• Abdus Suttar Khan, a Bangladeshi Oxford Scholar and aerospace researcher.
• Tapesh Chandra Bose (born. 1928 - died. 1985), S/O. Late Satish Chandra Bose,of( Bikrampur, Dacca )Ex- Finance Officer, PWD, Govt. Of Tripura, Vice president Of Biredra Club Agartala, Life Member Tripura Football association, Agartala, Tripura, present residence now at Dimsagar, Kunjaban Road, Agartala, Tripura & Inda Girls School Road, Inda, Kharagpur, Dist. Midnapore, West Bengal was a student of Victoria College, Comilla, Bangladesh he was a Student of Economics and passed out from this college with highest distinction.

.

References

External links

• College website

Coordinates: 23°27′35″N 91°10′56″E / 23.4598°N 91.1823°E / 23.4598; 91.1823