Baker Hostel

Due to the unhygienic environment and inadequate housing system around the Taylor hostel built in 1896 for students in Kolkata, they started a movement for the construction of a new hostel.{{cite web |title=Jabbar, Nawab Abdul |url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Jabbar,_Nawab_Abdul |website=Banglapedia|access-date=11 April 2020 |archive-date=22 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122012522/http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Jabbar,_Nawab_Abdul |url-status=live }} Nawab Abdul Jabbar initiated the movement in 1908. Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah, A. K. Fazlul Huq played a major role in establishing the hostel.{{cite web |title=Ahsanullah, Khan Bahadur |url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Ahsanullah,_Khan_Bahadur |website=Banglapedia|access-date=11 April 2020 |archive-date=18 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718044311/http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Ahsanullah,_Khan_Bahadur |url-status=live }} As a result, government built this hostel.

Two rooms of this hostel (no. 23 and 24) were converted into a museum in honor of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father and the first president of Bangladesh. The museum was inaugurated on 31 July 1998.{{cite news|url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/Bangabandhu-remembered-at-Bekar-Hostel|title=Bangabandhu remembered at Bekar Hostel|date=15 August 2015|access-date=22 September 2022|newspaper=Prothom Alo|archive-date=22 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922042305/https://select-d.openx.net/w/1.0/arj?ju=https%3A%2F%2Fen.prothomalo.com%2Fbangladesh%2F3bdg0f5xvo&ch=UTF-8&res=1600x1000x24&ifr=true&tz=0&tws=1085x16004&be=1&bc=hb_pb_3.0.3&dddid=282cff08-34e6-4fd3-b113-cfcdeb10d79e%2C282cff08-34e6-4fd3-b113-cfcdeb10d79e&nocache=1663820585218&pubcid=4f02acc8-2d0c-4298-a2c0-f39f38d64907&schain=1.0%2C1!selectmedia.asia%2C5e70884875a43965922e2760%2C1%2C%2C%2C&aus=300x250%7C300x250&divids=gpt-passback%2Cgpt-passback&aucs=%252F84772874%252FPL_HB%2523gpt-passback%2C%252F84772874%252FPL_HB%2523gpt-passback&auid=541148923%2C541148923&aumfs=0%2C400|url-status=live}} On 23 February 2011, a bust of Mujib was installed in the hostel.{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-175147|title=Bekar Hostel in Kolkata installs Bangabandhu's sculpture today|date=23 February 2011|access-date=22 September 2022|newspaper=The Daily Star|archive-date=22 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922042250/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-175147|url-status=live}}

In 2017, the All Bengal Minority Youth Federation criticized the decision and demanded that the bust of Bangabandhu be removed from the hostel as Islam does not allow the installation of idols in the building. The organization's general secretary Kamruzzaman found this act objectionable because a mosque is located inside the hostel.{{cite news|url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/11825/articlelist/323/Cartoon|title=Remove Mujibur Rahman's bust from Kolkata hostel: ABMYF|date=23 March 2017|access-date=22 September 2022|newspaper=New Age|archive-date=22 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922042258/https://www.newagebd.net/article/11825/articlelist/323/Cartoon|url-status=live}} The organization sent letters to Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, regarding the matter. In March, the month before Sheikh Hasina's visit to India, the central government of India had directed the West Bengal government to take action against the organization and its supporters, who it termed as anti-Hasina extremist groups.{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/centre-asks-mamata-govt-to-act-tough-against-fringe-groups-demanding-removal-of-mujibur-statue/articleshow/57908929.cms|title=Centre asks Mamata govt to act tough against fringe groups demanding removal of Mujibur statue|first1=Dipanjan Roy|first2=Madhuparna|last1=Chaudhury|last2=Das|date=30 March 2017|access-date=22 September 2022|newspaper=The Times of India|archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111211122/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/centre-asks-mamata-govt-to-act-tough-against-fringe-groups-demanding-removal-of-mujibur-statue/articleshow/57908929.cms|url-status=live}}

However, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister of Bangladesh, Md. Tajul Islam, visited the museum in March 2019 and found defects in the bust, which was replaced by a new bust on August 3.{{cite web|url=https://en.banglatribune.com/national/news/64417/Bangabandhu-bust-reinstalled-in-Baker-Hostel|title=Bangabandhu bust reinstalled in Baker Hostel|date=3 August 2019|access-date=22 September 2022|website=Bangla Tribune|archive-date=19 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119065806/http://en.banglatribune.com/national/news/64417/Bangabandhu-bust-reinstalled-in-Baker-Hostel|url-status=live}}

Room No. 24 of the museum is known as Bangabandhu Memorial Room. Bangabandhu's bust is located in front of the door of the room. Inside the room are his used bed, table and chair. There is a small library where the books written by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman are arranged. On the table is a photograph of him giving his 7 March Speech. Entry to the museum is limited and it is managed by the hostel authority.{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/the-hostel-room-where-mujibar-rahman-stayed/articleshow/11999161.cms|title=The hostel room where Mujibar Rahman stayed|first=Prithvijit|last=Mitra|date=23 February 2012|access-date=22 September 2022|newspaper=The Times of India|archive-date=7 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607081335/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/The-hostel-room-where-Mujibar-Rahman-stayed/articleshow/11999161.cms|url-status=live}}

• Azizul Haque
• Hamidul Huq Choudhury
• Khaleque Nawaz Khan{{cite web|script-title=bn:ছাত্রলীগের ৭০তম প্রতিষ্ঠাবার্ষিকী আজ|url=https://www.ekushey-tv.com/%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A7%AD%E0%A7%A6%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C/59994|date=4 January 2019|access-date=16 January 2020|website=Ekushey Television|language=bn|archive-date=19 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819193658/https://www.ekushey-tv.com/%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A7%AD%E0%A7%A6%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C/59994|url-status=live}}
• Khalilur Rahman
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
• Syed Hedayetullah
• Syed Murtaza Ali

{{reflist}}

• [https://maulanaazadcollegekolkata.ac.in/hostel.php Baker Hostel] at Maulana Azad College

{{Sheikh Mujibur Rahman}}

Category:Educational buildings in Kolkata

Category:Halls of residence in India

Category:Museums in Kolkata

Category:Museums established in 1998

Category:1910 establishments in India

Category:Sheikh Mujibur Rahman