Barishal University (BU) officially designated itself as the nation’s first public university freed from fascist forces. The decision received unanimous approval during the university’s 95th Syndicate meeting on Saturday, August 29.
University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Mamun Or Rashid confirmed that the resolution commemorates the heroic resistance of students during the July 2024 mass uprising. The approved proposal will now go to the Chancellor, the President of Bangladesh, for final endorsement. Division Commissioner of Barishal and Syndicate Member Khalil Ahmed stated that the documented decision will also reach the University Grants Commission (UGC) for institutional records.
During the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in July 2024, students faced brutal cracked-down efforts along the campus perimeter and adjacent highways on July 18. Security forces and armed political cadres launched heavy attacks using tear gas and sound grenades. However, general students held their ground with resolute defiance.
Faced with fierce resistance, the armed groups retreated by the afternoon of July 18, offering formal apologies to the protesting students before exiting the campus. This turning point made Barishal University the first campus in the country to dislodge regime-aligned forces during the 2024 movement.
This resistance spurred wider anti-regime demonstrations across the entire Barishal division. The Syndicate’s formal declaration aims to preserve this historic milestone within the official records of Bangladeshi higher education.
Following formal approval from the Chancellor, the landmark decision will stand as an unprecedented institutional recognition of student-led resistance in Bangladesh.
 officially designated itself as the nation's first public university freed from fascist forces. The decision received unanimous approval during the university's 95th Syndicate meeting on Saturday, August 29.){kind=link}