Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Carmichael College is a part of heritage and history of Uttar Bongo (northern Bangladesh). It is indeed one of the oldest colleges in the country.

Rangpur Carmichael College (রংপুর কারমাইকেল কলেজ) is one of the most prestigious colleges of northern Bangladesh. It has a campus of almost 300 acres and is possibly the largest in the country, in terms of its area. It was established in 1916, with the generous help of several landlords, including Gopal Lal Roy Bahadur, Mohima Ranjan Roy, Babu Monidra Chandra Roy, Radha Ballav Saha and others. It boasts a large lush green campus with several uniquely designed buildings.

The first three colleges of the country were named only after the district headquarters where they were located (Dhaka College, 1841, Chittagong College, 1869, & Rajshahi College, 1873). Similarly this new institution could have been named Rangpur College. However, several institutions that had been founded in the districts of Barisal (Brojo Mohan College, 1884), Sylhet (Murari Chand College, 1892), Pabna (Edward College, 1898), Comilla (Victoria College, 1899), Mymensingh (Ananda Mohan College, 1901) & Khulna (Braja Lal College, 1902) had taken names after their patrons. So when Lord Baron Thomas David Gibson-Carmichael of Skirling, the then First Governor of Bengal, formally inaugurated the institution, it naturally took up the name Rangpur Carmichael College.

From the outset, this was under the governance of Calcutta University, and was only permitted to teach Arts subjects, both at Higher Secondary and Graduation level. Lord Lytton, the Governor of Bengal visited the college in 1922. He was amazed at the beauty of the campus, the fascinating infrastructure, and the quality of education that was being offered here. He immediately permitted the college to begin teaching science subjects. The same year, Calcutta University also permitted the college to begin graduation courses in Bangla, Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, English, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Economics & Mathematics. Bachelor of Science degrees were introduced in 1925.

The college currently offers graduation courses in 17 disciplines and post graduation courses in 15 subjects. From the 2011-12 academic year, the college reopened the Higher Secondary courses, having put that on hold for 14 years. Rangpur Carmichael College was under the purview of Calcutta University till 1947, Dhaka University during 1947-1952, Rajshahi University during 1953-1992, and the National University thereafter.

Comilla Zila School is a boy's school in Comilla City. It is one of the oldest schools in the country. It was the only school in Comilla for four decades before the establishment of Nawab Fayjunnesa Girl's High School in 1878. For decades the school has secured first place in scoring highest A+ among the schools under Board of secondary education, Comilla.

History: The school, in the center of Comilla, was established in 1837 by an Englishman named H. G. Legister. It was governmentalized as a high school by the government of British India for teaching English literature and science and named Comilla Zila School. In the 1850s the school building expanded and improved its teaching structure.

Facilities: These school has three academic buildings, an administrative building and two hostels. There is a big field in the school arena. Other facilities include mosque, workshop, auditorium, canteen, shaheed minar, and library. There are fifty teachers and twenty staff. The school has five laboratories. It is one of the best school in Bangladesh. Initially the school conducted only one shift. From 1991 two shifts were introduced: morning and day. Presently all the classes from 5 to 10 are running. There are six sections in each of the classes: ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, and ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ for class five to eight where ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ are in morning shift and day shift. There are two sections in nine and ten; they are 'A' and 'B'.

There are 60 students in each of the sections. For class nine and ten students are distributed into four sections following the same structure with a larger number of students in a class. Almost 2,000 students are studying in the school with 53 teachers. The uniform is a white shirt with white full trousers and white shoes and black belt. The school monogram is printed on the shirt pocket. Usually students are admitted in class 5 and 6. Admission can be considered in other classes if a vacancy is available or if someone is transferred from some other government school. The admission test is usually taken in the first week of January.

Extracurricular activities: Comilla Zilla School cricket team was champion in the National Nirman School Tournament in 1992. BNCC (Bangladesh National Cadet Core), Scouting, Games and sports (mostly athletics, cricket, Badminton, swimming and football), Debating etc.

Cultural activities: each year the students celebrate the Shorosoti Puja on the school field.

Math and language competitions: the school is the champion team of the national math contest, Science fair, Picnic, Social Development program, Participate in Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad held each year.

Notable alumni: Dhirendranath Datta: Bengali lawyer who was active in the politics of undivided Bengal in pre-partition India and later in East Pakistan (1947–1971). On February 23, 1948, in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly in Karachi, Dhirendranath, as a member of Pakistan National Congress, made a speech calling for Bengali to be made one of the official languages of Pakistan. He served as the Minister of Health and Social Welfare (East Pakistan) in Ataur Rahman Khan's cabinet (1956–58).

Shib Narayan Das: He designed the first national flag of Bangladesh. Muhammad Anwar Hossain, 2nd Lt. (1-E Bengal): He was the first Shaheed defense officer during Bangladesh Liberation War. Later awarded as Bir Uttom by Bangladesh Government. Nayeemul Islam Khan: A leading Bengali-language newspaper editor. General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan,Chief of Army Staff,Bangladesh Army. Himangshu Dutta, a music composer in the Bengali music industry. A.B.M. Khairul Haque: former chief justice of Bangladesh. Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad: served as the President of Bangladesh.

Connection classroom: Comilla Zila School always thinks one step ahead for assuring the highest learning facility for its students. On that note, in the year 2010, Comilla Zila School joined Connection classroom programme based on an enterprise for establishing an interrelationship among the students of some national and international schools of home and abroad (British school).Through the E-LEARNING system the students of Zila School get linked to that process under the kind observation of BRITISH COUNCIL. In Comilla 4 schools participated in that programme but like all the time zila school was the "SHOW STEALER". With the help of some experienced teachers, students represented the culture, archeology, tradition of Comilla by their rejuvenate presentation. At the same time, the students also rocked the cultural show of SHHEED ABU JAHEED AUDITORIUM.

For that programme, students were selected from different classes who made presentation on different topics related to the city Comilla. Students of CZS showed their both technical and marital skill. A cultural function was organized by the authority to add a new dimension to this programme. That programme was a joint venture of two rival schools COMILLA ZILLA SCHOOL and NAWAB FAIZUNNESA GOVT. GIRLS' SCHOOL. Whole programme was anchored by the students from both institution. Audience were amazed to enjoy that types of function for the first time at the present of two different schools. Principals from three different schools of BRITAIN were the chief guests. And the honorable Headmaster along with two asst. Headmaster were the special guests. And all the teachers from both day and morning shifts were present at that function. The whole programme was a little contribution to establish a friendship among the students of two different country. Actually, it's a part of modern globalization process by which students from every corner can have the same view and same knowledge. And as a part of that motto, the programme of Connection classroom was a huge success.

Victoria Public Library is located at Shukulpotti (শুকুলপট্টি) area in Natore Sadar Upazila. It has been established in the year 1901 during the British Realm. The then British Lord in Bengal was Lord Curzon under British-Indian Army. In that time, this library was established after the name of Queen Victoria, to spread the light of knowledge in these areas. This building is still in use under the local authority. They are renovating a part and restructuring the building to continue with the cause.

Ruhul Amin (Bengali: রুহুল আমিন), better known as Shaheed Mohammad Ruhul Amin, was an engine room artificer in the Bangladesh Navy who was posthumously awarded the nation's highest bravery award for his service during the Liberation War. The Bangladesh Navy warship BNS Shaheed Ruhul Amin is named after him.

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