Notre Dame College, Dhaka (), also known as NDC, is a

catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

higher secondary Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC), Higher Secondary School Certificate, Higher Secondary Education Certificate (HSEC) or Intermediate Examination is a secondary education qualification in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. It is equivalent to the f ...

and degree level educational institution founded and managed by the priests of the

Congregation of Holy Cross The Congregation of Holy Cross (), abbreviated CSC, is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men founded in 1837 by Basil Moreau, in Le Mans, France. Moreau also founded the Marianites of Holy Cross for women, n ...

located in

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...

, the capital of

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. Upon the invitation of the then

East Pakistan East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Burma, wit ...

government after the

partition of India The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Dominion of India, Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Paki ...

, St. Gregory's College was founded on 3 November 1949, as an expanded iteration of St. Gregory's High School in Laxmibazar, Dhaka. This was undertaken by the

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

priest community at the initiative of

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

Lawrence Graner and the decision of the Congregation of Holy Cross. In 1954, the college relocated to Arambagh near Kamalapur railway station under the jurisdiction of the

Motijheel Thana Motijheel () is a central business district and a Thanas of Bangladesh, thana of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is Dhaka's primary central business district, and also the nation's largest commercial and financial hub. Motijheel, located immediately adjac ...

, and was dedicated to

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...

, the mother of

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

, being named Notre Dame College. The French phrase "Notre Dame" signifies ''Our Lady'', yet Notre Dame College has remained an all-boys institution since its establishment.'''' In 1950, Notre Dame College became affiliated with

Dhaka University The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka was founded in 1921 ...

, and by 1959, it had earned recognition as the foremost educational institution in East Pakistan. Initially housing only

Humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture, including Philosophy, certain fundamental questions asked by humans. During the Renaissance, the term "humanities" referred to the study of classical literature a ...

and

Business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for ...

departments at its inception, the college later introduced BA in 1955 and B.Sc in 1960. However, starting in the academic year 1972–73, the B.Sc course was discontinued. Presently, the college offers higher secondary and BA courses in both English and

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

mediums. In 1992, it gained affiliation with the

National University A national university is mainly a university created or managed by a government, but which may also at the same time operate autonomously without direct control by the state. In the United States, the term "national university" connotes the highe ...

. Acknowledged as the nation's premier educational institution four times (1959, 1988, 1992, 1997) by the National University, this institution, managed by

Christian mission A Christian mission is an organized effort to carry on evangelism, in the name of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries. Sometimes individuals are sent and a ...

aries, primarily serves the Christian community, tribals, minorities, and the underprivileged. Nonetheless, it welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds. Since its establishment, a majority of the student body has comprised

Bengali Muslims Bengali Muslims (; ) 'Mussalman'' also used in this work.are adherents of Islam who ethnically, linguistically and genealogically identify as Bengalis. Comprising over 70% of the global Bengali population, they are the second-largest et ...

. As of 2019, statistics reveal that 85 percent of the institution's students are

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

. Notre Dame College is among the four institutions granted the privilege to conduct its admission test, as decreed by the

Bangladesh Supreme Court Supreme Court of Bangladesh () is the highest court of law in the country. It is composed of the High Court Division and the Appellate Division, and was established by Part VI, Chapter I (Article 94) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, adopte ...

in 2012.

History

Early history

In 1947, following the partition of India, the newly established government of

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

made a formal request to the head of the Catholic Congregation to initiate the establishment of several colleges. At the government's invitation, Archbishop Lawrence Leo Graner directed the Congregation of Holy Cross priests to establish distinct colleges for boys and girls. On 3 November 1949, "St. Gregory's College" emerged within the premises of St. Gregory's High School at 82, Municipal Office Street, Laxmibazar, Dhaka. Founded by the Roman Catholic clergy community, the college commenced with 19 students enrolled in the Arts and Commerce departments. In December 1950, the establishment relocated to 61/1 Subhash Bose Avenue, Laxmibazar. During that year, the college obtained affiliation with Dhaka University. Among the students admitted in 1951 was

Kamal Hossain Kamal Hossain (born 20 April 1937), better known as Dr. Kamal, is a founding leader, lawyer and politician of Bangladesh. He is known as the "Father of the Bangladeshi Constitution" and regarded as an icon of secular democracy in the Indian subc ...

, who later became foreign minister of Bangladesh. By 1953, he achieved the top position in the Higher Secondary Examination across East Pakistan. In 1950, under the

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public university, public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka w ...

, 8 students undertook an examination, with 5 achieving success in the first division. By 1951, the institution's student count reached 55. During that year, college students performed

William Shakespeare's William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

The Tempest ''The Tempest'' is a Shakespeare's plays, play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1610–1611, and thought to be one of the last plays that he wrote alone. After the first scene, which takes place on a ship at sea during a tempest, th ...

'' for three consecutive nights on the premises of St. Gregory's High School. Notably, among the students in 1952 was Sirajul Islam Chowdhury. In 1953,

Richard William Timm Richard William Timm (March 2, 1923 – September 11, 2020) was a Catholic Priest, educator, zoologist, and development worker. He was the Superior of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Dhaka and a member of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Province. He ...

initiated the inaugural debating club in the then East Pakistan, known as the "Notre Dame Debating Club." During the academic year 1952–53, Notre Dame College received Dhaka University's approval to commence BA classes. Subsequently, in the academic year 1953–54, Principal Richard William Timm inaugurated the college's first science department, conducting practical sessions within a tin room adjacent to the main building. Notably, on 18 September 1954, Richard William Timm established the subcontinent's pioneering non-formal institution dedicated to the pursuit of science, named the "Notre Dame Science Club." During the same period, the inaugural college weekly "Chit-Chat" and the annual "Blue and Gold" were launched. Concurrently, clubs such as the "Notre Dame Photography Club" and the "Literary Guild" were established. In 1954, the college's relocation from Laxmibazar to Arambagh led to its renaming as the "Notre Dame College". Initially, the college offered courses in Arts and Commerce, later introducing BA courses in 1955. Subsequently, in 1959, it garnered recognition as the premier college in examinations held by various universities in East Pakistan. The inclusion of a B.Sc course occurred in 1960. In response to a faculty shortage that year, volunteers affiliated with the British Volunteer Service Overseas served at Notre Dame College from 1963 to 1970. Following the completion of the new building in 1960, Principal James L. Martin succumbed to typhoid at Dhaka's Holy Family Hospital on 21 March. In his honor, the newly constructed building was christened "Father Martin Hall". Theotonius Amal Ganguly succeeded James Martin as the first Bengali principal. However, after seven months in this role, he ascended to the position of assistant bishop of Archdiocese of Dhaka, eventually becoming the first Bengali Bishop and

of Dhaka.

Liberation War and ensuing history

Notre Dame College faced disruptions in its teaching activities due to political turmoil, notably the 1968–69 mass uprising. Amid the 1971

liberation war Wars of national liberation, also called wars of independence or wars of liberation, are conflicts fought by nations to gain independence. The term is used in conjunction with wars against foreign powers (or at least those perceived as foreign) ...

, Richard William Timm served as the college's principal. Despite government directives for normal operations during the conflict, like other institutions, Notre Dame College closed due to student absence. Additionally, the B.Sc course, inaugurated in 1960, was halted. In the war's final weeks, the institution's premises served as a

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

-UN safe haven, sheltering 44 UN officials. On 14 December 1971, two young doctors from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Azharul Haque and Humayun Kabir, were abducted from their homes by Al-Badr forces, mercilessly tortured, and their lifeless bodies were abandoned near Notre Dame College. From 1954 to 1971, I.Com was discontinued in the college, only to be resumed later. By the academic year 1972–73, B.Com courses replaced the full-time B.Sc courses. Following the War of Independence, Principal Richard William Timm departed from his teaching role, engaging actively in the nation's reconstruction efforts. He contributed significantly to the country's relief, and rehabilitation, and championed human rights initiatives through non-governmental development organizations. Concurrently, students from Notre Dame College, accompanied by teachers, ventured to remote regions in support of relief and rehabilitation endeavours on behalf of the institution. In 1973, a devastating flood struck Bangladesh, leading to the closure of the college. The institution's workforce was dedicated to relief efforts. Under Principal Richard Timm's leadership, the " CORR" relief and rehabilitation organization was established. Daily meals were provided for approximately 1,500 individuals. During the subsequent flood and famine in 1974, the college administration continued aiding the government in managing the crisis. Principal Richard William Timm received the

Magsaysay Award The Ramon Magsaysay Award ( Filipino: ''Gawad Ramon Magsaysay'') is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idea ...

in 1987, honouring his outstanding service. In 1974, upon the

Bangladesh government The government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh () is the central government of Bangladesh. The government was constituted by the Constitution of Bangladesh comprising the executive (the president, prime minister and cabinet), the le ...

's mandate,

became compulsory for education in schools and colleges, marking its inclusion at Notre Dame College. This shift notably facilitated learning for many. Concurrently, James T. Benas, an English department faculty member, initiated an English language course to foster English proficiency as a

second language A second language (L2) is a language spoken in addition to one's first language (L1). A second language may be a neighbouring language, another language of the speaker's home country, or a foreign language. A speaker's dominant language, which ...

. Initially exclusive to teachers, the course expanded to encompass students who appeared in the SSC examination. Commencing in 1974, the course remains ongoing, presently conducted by the college's English department faculty. In 1992, the college became affiliated with the

, and in 1997, English was reinstated as the medium of instruction.

Exposition

Nomenclature and principle

'Notre Dame' originates from the French words ''Notre-Dame'', translated in English as 'Our Lady.' Roman Catholics associate Notre Dame with

, the mother of Jesus, hence the naming of the Catholic-run college after her.

Emblem and philosophy

At the apex of Notre Dame College's emblem rests an open book, displaying the

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

letters

Alpha Alpha (uppercase , lowercase ) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of one. Alpha is derived from the Phoenician letter ''aleph'' , whose name comes from the West Semitic word for ' ...

(Α) on the left page and

Omega Omega (, ; uppercase Ω, lowercase ω; Ancient Greek ὦ, later ὦ μέγα, Modern Greek ωμέγα) is the twenty-fourth and last letter in the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numerals, Greek numeric system/isopsephy (gematria), it has a value ...

(Ω) on the right. These symbols denote the beginning and end of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing the entirety of wisdom. This imagery echoes a

biblical The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) biblical languages ...

phrase ascribed to Jesus in the

Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation, also known as the Book of the Apocalypse or the Apocalypse of John, is the final book of the New Testament, and therefore the final book of the Bible#Christian Bible, Christian Bible. Written in Greek language, Greek, ...

. Furthermore, books serve as vessels of knowledge. Together, these symbols convey a profound message: Within this book resides the accumulation of ages past, and through its attainment, enlightenment shall grace life. At the base of the emblem lie three sections. On the left, seven Lotus flowers grace the compartment. The lotus, symbolizing purity, embodies the seven sorrows of Mary's life, designating her as the " Mother of Seven Sorrows" commemorating the tragic events. It signifies the pursuit of enlightenment amidst hardship. The adjacent right field portrays a flowing river, traversing boat, golden paddy fields, and vast blue-green vistas, encapsulating the college's location in the heart of lush

. In the lower segment, a

crucifix A crucifix (from the Latin meaning '(one) fixed to a cross') is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the (Latin for 'body'). The cru ...

emanates from two intersecting

anchor An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ', which itself comes from the Greek (). Anch ...

s, denoting the emblem of the

. Embodied within: Just as Jesus' crucifixion brought salvation to humanity, salvation is attainable by anchoring oneself to the crucified Jesus, symbolized by the cross and anchors. The radiance emanating from the cross symbolizes the enlightenment and magnificence of Jesus Christ. The College authorities have established a defined philosophy and mission. The motto encapsulating this philosophy reads, "Notre Dame College Students: Dedicated, Creative, Skilled, and Responsible." The institutional philosophy is as follows:

"The mission of Notre Dame College education is to foster the holistic development of individuals—nurturing self-motivation, creativity, a service-oriented mindset, engagement, and proficiency in acquiring and applying knowledge. It aims to cultivate responsibility in facing the challenges of the times."

Gallery

Father Richard Timm Building-Notre Dame College

The road to the Notre Dame college front

Robert Boughey An American architect born in Pennsylvania, USA. He completed his Bachelor of Architecture from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York in 1959 and received a Diploma in Tropical Studies from AA School of Architecture, London in 1967. He is a former research professor of architecture at Pratt Institute. He is the architect of the main structure of Notre Dame College.

Students

Students of Notre Dame College are known as "Notredamians". Every year Notre Dame College admits around 2000–2100 students in science, around 410 students in humanities and around 750 students in business studies group through one of the most competitive college admission processes in the country. Currently, it consists of 17 sections for students in science terming each as "Groups". In the case of science, groups 1 to 14 include Bangla medium students and the rest 15, 16, and 17 groups admit English version students. Humanities has groups H, W, and G while business studies has groups A, B, C, D, E, and F.

Extracurricular clubs

The college has 32 extracurricular clubs.

Notre Dame Science Club

Notre Dame Science Club also known as NDSC, is the oldest science club in the country. It was established on 18 September 1955 by the ex-principal of the college Father Richard William Timm, CSC. It celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2005.

Notre Dame Nature Study Club

Notre Dame Nature Study Club also known as NDNSC, is the first nature club in the country. It was established on 29 August 1984 by Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan, former lecturer of Notre Dame College and also the founder and chairman of Nature Study Society of Bangladesh.

Juba Red Crescent Club, Notre Dame College

International Red Cross Red Crescent Society has been working in the world everywhere through volunteering since its opening.

Notre Dame Rotaract Club

Notre Dame Rotaract Club (NDRC) is the first Rotaract club in the college level of Bangladesh. The club was founded in 1990.

Notre Dame Abritti Dal

The first college-level recitation organization in the subcontinent, Notre Dame Abritti Dal, was founded on 18 August 1992, under the leadership of Mrs. Marlin Clara Penheiro, Head of the Bengali Department and assistant professor of Notre Dame College. The club, with the motto "বাক্‌শিল্পকে সমৃদ্ধ কর" meaning "Enrich the art of speech," has been representing Notre Dame College and promoting art and culture for more than 30 years.

Notre Dame International Understanding and Relation Club

Notre Dame International Understanding and Relation Club (IURC) is one of the oldest International relations clubs in the country and the first International Relations Club at high school/college level. It was established on 20 February 1993. It also works along with International communities like American Center Dhaka, British Council, etc. This club arranged the first ever Mock Model UN in Notre Dame College and also arranged the first Model UN of Notre Dame College titled Notre Dame College Model United Nations in 2017. The Second Session of NDCMUN took place from 11 to 13 January 2018 with more than 500 participants, making it one of the largest Model UNs in the country.

Notre Dame Writer's Club

This club was founded on 29 July 2001. The motto of this club is 'অক্ষরে আঁকি সৃষ্টির সৌন্দর্য' or 'Depicting the beauty of creation in letters'. Dr. Mizanur Rahman is the current moderator of this club. This club arranges workshops on creative writing, book publishing, and journalism. Story writing, handwriting, and quiz competitions are arranged regularly as well. Members of this club usually edit 'Dhak-Dhol Chit-Chat', the quarterly publication of Notre Dame College, Dhaka.

Notre Dame Math Club

Notre Dame Math Club was established on 14 March 2017 (

Pi Day Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant (pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (the 3rd month) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant figures of , and was first celebrated in the United States. It was founded i ...

). The Club regularly organizes seminars, workshops, and tutorial classes for students interested in mathematics. It also helps weak students develop skills in mathematics. Apart from regular programs, the club also organizes the annual inter-school/inter-college program called the Notre Dame Math Festival. During this festival various mathematical competitions are held among school and college-level students from multiple institutions. The club annually publishes a handwritten scrap magazine called ''The Number '' on Pi Day. On Pi Day 2018, the club published its first printed annual magazine called ''The Function''.

Notre Dame Photography Club

Notre Dame Photography Club was established on 9 August 2017. Md. Moin Uddin Ahasan Habib, lecturer of Zoology of Biology Dept. is serving as the hon. moderator of this club.

Notre Dame Information Technology Club

Notre Dame Information Technology Club (NDITC) was founded on 27 June 2018. The activities of the club include

Competitive programming Competitive programming or sport programming is a mind sport involving participants trying to program according to provided specifications. The contests are usually held over the Internet or a local network. Competitive programming is recogn ...

, Graphics design, Content Writing,

Robotics Robotics is the interdisciplinary study and practice of the design, construction, operation, and use of robots. Within mechanical engineering, robotics is the design and construction of the physical structures of robots, while in computer s ...

, Video Editing, etc. The club regularly arranges various competitions among and beyond the students of the college. ''CodeCompass'' is the official monthly newsletter of the club. The club is currently moderated by Mr. Ajimun Haque, lecturer of ICT.

Notre Dame Media and Communication Club

Founded in 2022, Mrs. Shapla Banik is serving as the Hon. Moderator of the club.

Notre Dame Yoga and Meditation Club

Merging finitude into infinity with Mr. Swapan Halder, lecturer of English, serving as the Hon. Moderator of Notre Dame Yoga and Meditation Club.

Publications

''Blue and Gold'' is the yearbook of Notre Dame College. Notre Dame College publishes students' quarterly magazine ''Dhak Dhol – Chit Chat''. Each club has its own yearly magazine/publication. Among them ''AUDRI'' of Notre Dame Science Club is the most famous. ''Nishorga'', the annual magazine of Notre Dame Nature Study Club is also worth mentioning. Notre Dame International Understanding and Relation Club (NDIURC) also publishes its own annual magazine titled 'Jogajog' with a couple thousand circulations. For the last few years, Notre Dame Natya Dal has been publishing ''Mancha'', a magazine that depicts its activities and theater. Notre Dame Math Club publishes a hand-designed scrap magazine called ''The Number'', and the annual magazine called ''The Function'' on

. Notre Dame Information and Technology Club publishes its own magazine called Recursion which is given to the winners of various events of NIDTC's Annual Fest and its club members and well-wishers.

Organization and administration

The college is managed by Christian priests of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Dhaka. The

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple ani ...

of the college management committee is always the Archbishop of Dhaka, currently His Grace The Most Reverend

Bejoy Nicephorus D'Cruze Bejoy Nicephorus D'Cruze Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, O.M.I. (born 9 February 1956) is a Bangladeshi prelate of the Catholic Church who has been archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dhaka, Dhaka since 2020. He is the highest ran ...

. Since its establishment, ten priests have served as the principal of the college. * John J. Harrington (1949–1954) * James L. Martin (1954–1960) * Theotonius Amal Ganguly (March 1960 – October 1960) * William Graham (1960–1967) * John Vanden Bossche (1967–1969) * Joseph S. Peixotto (1969–1970) * Richard Timm (1970–1971) * Ambrose Wheeler (1971–1976) * Joseph S. Peixotto (1976–1998) * Benjamin Costa (1998–2012) * Fr. Hemanto Pius Rozario (2012–present) Among them, Father Timm was a renowned biologist and a winner of the 1987

Ramon Magsaysay award The Ramon Magsaysay Award (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Gawad Ramon Magsaysay'') is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, ...

for International Understanding. Father Timm was also the founder-moderator of Notre Dame Science Club and Notre Dame Debating Club.

Notable alumni

Notes

References

External links

* * {{authority control Private colleges in Bangladesh Colleges in Dhaka District Universities and colleges in Dhaka Holy Cross secondary schools Catholic secondary schools in Bangladesh Christianity in Dhaka Congregations of Holy Cross Educational institutions established in 1949 1949 establishments in East Bengal Boys' schools in Bangladesh