Rename back to ‘Jessore Road’: HC

The High Court today directed the authorities concerned to immediately rename Khan A Sabur Road in Khulna as its previous name Jessore Road, because it has been named after a collaborator of Pakistani army.

During hearing a writ petition, the court ordered the mayor of Khulna City Corporation to submit a report before it after complying with the directive in seven days.

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman also fixed November 9 for further order on this issue, the writ petitioners’ lawyer AKM Rashedul Huq told The Daily Star.

He said the HC on August 25 had directed the authorities to rename Khan A Sabur Road in Khulna and Shah Azizur Rahman Auditorium of Islamic University in Kushtia as those were named after two collaborators of anti-liberation forces.

Islamic University authorities have informed the HC that they changed the name of its auditorium, but KCC mayor recently told a newspaper that his office did not change the name of Khan A Sabur Road, as his office did get the copy of the August 25 HC order, the lawyer said.

Rashedul added that following the newspaper report, he prayed to the HC on Monday to pass necessary order in this regard, and therefore, the court today passed the order.

Following a writ petition, the HC on May 14, 2012 issued the rule asking the government authorities concerned to explain why structures named after collaborators of Pakistanis should not renamed and why they should not be directed to rename those roads, buildings and other structures after freedom fighters.

Prof Muntassir Mamun of History department of Dhaka University and eminent author Shahriar Kabir filed the writ petition saying that many structures have been named after leaders of anti-liberation forces at different times since the country’s independence which goes against the spirit of Liberation War.

They said a road in Khulna and an auditorium of Islamic University were named after Khan A Sabur and Shah Azizur Rahman who were “collaborators of Pakistanis and leaders of anti-liberation forces”.

The two sought necessary order upon the government to change the names of the structures.