Madhur Canteen: History of a Bright Compound with Dusts

Madhur Canteen, Dhaka University

Campus Special: Yellow walls become worn, broken chairs and tables attached to the dust of history. Yes, this is Madhur Canteen. This canteen is involved with the political history of Bangladesh.

48's language movement, 49's 4th Class employees of the university movement, 52's agitation days, 54's election battle of 'Jukta Front', reactionary opposition student movement in 1958-60, 66's six-point demands movement, revolt of 69, 70's election - the names of the canteen deeply involves in all these things.

History of Madhur Canteen:
Nakri Chandra was the grandfather of Madhu daa. The business relationship was being started between Nakri Chandra and landlords of Srinagar, Bikrampur in the early nineteenth century. Nakri Chandra and his family moved to the capital to promote his business. He started to live in the house of landlord at Zindabazar Lane. Aditya Chandra and Nibaran Chandra were his two sons.

In 1921, after the establishment of Dhaka University, Nakri Chandra handed the responsibility to Aditya Chandra to promoting business in Dhaka University area. Aditya Chandra permanently started his business in Dhaka University area after the death of the Nakri Chandra. At that time British police took the initiative to withdraw camps and barracks on campus area. Aditya Chandra buys two houses by 30 taka from the British police. Madhu Daa was then 15 years old. He began a food business with his father since 1934-35 at the Dhaka University. Madhu Daa picked the rudder of the business after his father's death in 1939.

Activities of DAKSU were begun by the response of Dhaka University students' demands after Second World War. And the Madhur Restaurant was founded in charge of the Madhu Daa next to the Arts Building. That Madhur Stall, Madhur Tea Stall now becomes the Madhur Canteen. Mainly the Shandesh, Roshgolla and Singara were the foods of Madhur Canteen. And some biscuits of old Dhaka's bakeries could be found sometimes. And tea is available all the time. Madhu Daa become quite popular and trusted to the students by his friendly behavior and honesty.

শিক্ষা সংক্রান্ত খবরাখবর নিয়মিত পেতে রেজিস্ট্রেশন করুন অথবা Log In করুন।

Account BenefitMadhur Canteen becomes the students' lying-in room, because the DAKSU activities were run near the canteen. From 69 to 71, many political meetings were held in Madhu Daa's canteen. Madhur Canteen was the unwritten headquarter of progressive democratic student movement.

Disappear Without Paying: There was always a crowd of student leaders and activists of student movement. Emerging poets, writers, artists, players came there. Many pay the price, some would write in the register. The register book was named 'Disappear without paying'.

The name of Chief Minister Ataur Rahman Khan, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Shah Aziz, Shamsur Rahman, Ahmed Fazlur Rahman with a lot of illustrious personality exists in that register book.

Many have placed in the Disappear without paying book in the sixties. Among them Mijanur Rahman Shelly, Ziauddin, Kazi Zafar Ahmed, Mahiuddin, Ataur Rahman Kaiser, Reza Ali, Saifuddin Ahmed Manik, Rashed Khan Menon, Haider Akbar Khan Rono, Oyaliul Islam, KM Obaidur Rahman, Abdur Razzak, Rafiq Azad.

1971 and Madhu Daa:
5th March 1971, Madhu Daa then served a fried egg to the student leader Rashed Khan Menon and said, "Dada, the situation is not good. Go to a safer place". Menon and others had to evacuate, but Madhu Daa went to the Shib Bari quarter.

On March 26, 1971, Pakistani army went to the Madhu Daa's house and killed his wife, son and daughter of law and picked up him to the Jagannath Hall ground. Number of Dhaka University students, teachers and staff were killed in line with the best philosopher of this continental G.C. Dev. Madhu Daa contained therein to the mass grave to lay to rest with all the dead.
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