Curzon Hall is one of the most historic buildings on the University of Dhaka campus. Founded in 1904, it passed to Dhaka College and later to the university’s science faculty; in 1948 it was here that students rejected the declaration that Urdu alone would be a state language.
Location
University of Dhaka campus
Founded
1904
Name
After Lord Curzon
Significance
1948 — Language Movement
Curzon Hall was originally intended as a town hall; Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, laid its foundation in 1904. After the partition of Bengal, when Dhaka became the capital of a new province, the building grew in importance.
When the partition was annulled in 1911 the building was used as premises for Dhaka College. After the University of Dhaka was established in 1921, it became part of the university’s science faculty — which it remains today.
Curzon Hall is one of the finest examples of Dhaka’s architecture — a blend of European and Mughal elements. The projecting north facade shows both horse-shoe and cusped arches.
The red colour, ornate brackets, deep eaves and domed terrace pavilions recall the Diwan-i-Khas at Fatehpur Sikri, and a spacious, carefully kept garden lies in front.
Curzon Hall holds a particular place in the history of the Language Movement. In 1948, University of Dhaka students here rejected Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s declaration that Urdu alone would be the state language.
That rejection is regarded as an important step in the long struggle to win state-language status for Bengali.
Information checked: 3 November 2026. Access conditions, opening hours, fares and nearby opening arrangements can change — confirm the latest details before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Its hybrid European-Mughal architecture and its role in the events of the 1948 Language Movement.
Yes — after the university was established in 1921 it became part of its science faculty.
Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, who laid its foundation in 1904.
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