Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Dhaka College, one of the noted educational institutions of the country, has celebrated its 171st founding anniversary on Tuesday.
Marking the day, the whole college compound was decorated gorgeously. The founding day programs featured procession, discussion, reminiscence, kite festival and cultural function.
In different colourful attires former and present students and teachers took part in the procession that marched through the city streets.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed inaugurated the founding day programs as the chief guest.
Barrister Shafique, also a former student, said the college, one of the early educational institutions of the subcontinent was founded in 1841 and played a vital role in spreading education and in the democratic movements of the country including the language movement in 1952, mass upsurge in 1969 and war of liberation in 1971.
The minister called upon the students to make them able citizen of the country to work for the welfare of the people. 
Additional Secretary of Education Ministry M Mafizul Islam  and Dhaka College Principal Professor Ayesha Begum also attended 
the inaugural function.
The college began its journey as an English school named ‘Dhaka Seminary’ or ‘English Seminary School’ to introduce and spread English education among the people. General Committee of Public Instruction founded the school on July 15, 1835.
The then Civil Surgeon Dr James Taylor and Dhaka district magistrate Mr Grant played pioneering role in establishing the school.
The College branch of the school was opened in 1841, which was named first as Dhaka Central College and then Dhaka College.
The college began its journey with eight classes, 340 students and only eleven teachers. But at present there are more than 20 thousand students and 245 teachers in the college. The college earlier offered inter meditate course, later by phases it introduced honors and masters courses.
Many distinguish personalities including Dr Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, 3rd President of the Maldives, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain Mansur Ali, Humayun Ahmed, Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury, incumbent Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed, Home Minister Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Faruk Khan and Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique were the students of this college.
 
BBN/SSR/AD-20Nov12-7:40 pm (BST)