Rajendra College
Rajendra College the oldest college in Faridpur district, was established at the initiative of ambikacharan mujumdar in 1918. The college was named after the zamindar of Baishrashi, Babu Rajendra Roy Chowdhury whose substantive donation made the foundation of the college possible.
The Rajendra College was founded at the heart of the district town on 5.50 acres of land allotted in permanent lease by the government at a nominal rent. In 1972, the college got its new premises at Baitul Aman, which is about three km away from its original campus.
The college started with 29 students in arts group of the intermediate class. Initially, it was a second grade college. It introduced BA courses in 1921, science section of the intermediate class in 1923, Bachelor of Science courses in 1953, and the commerce courses of both intermediate and degree levels in 1962. The college was made a government institution in 1968. It was upgraded to a postgraduate college in 1972, when it introduced honours courses in Bangla, Political Science, Economics, Accounting, Chemistry and Physics under the university of dhaka. Honours programmes in subjects such as Mathematics, Sociology, Botany, English, Management, Social Welfare, Geography and Zoology were introduced gradually in subsequent years. It introduced Masters (final year) in Economics in 1985, Political Science in 1986, Physics, Accounting, and Bangla in 1988 and Mathematics in 1990.
The college introduced Masters (preliminary) in Economics and Mathematics in 1988 and Bangla, English, Islamic History, Political Science, Sociology, Accounting, Management, Geography, Chemistry and Physics in 1993. The college was affiliated to the national university in 1994. The college now offers honours and master degree programmes in eighteen subjects. In August 2010, it has 145 teachers and about 18,000 students.
Students of the college played a vital role in the language movement, anti-martial law movement in 1958, movement against Hamudur Rahman Education Commission Report in 1962, Mass Upsurge in 1969, and the war of liberation. Many ex-students of the college became famous both at national and international levels. To name a few, Poet jasimuddin, writers Narenda Nath Mitra and Naryan Ganguly, educationist SNQ Julfiqur Ali and film maker Mrinal Sen. [Abu Sayeed Khan]
