Notre Dame College, Dhaka facts for kids

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This page is about the college in Dhaka. For the college in Mymensingh, see Notre Dame College, Mymensingh. For private university in Bangladesh, see Notre Dame University Bangladesh. For other universities and colleges named Notre Dame, see Notre Dame (disambiguation).

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Notre Dame College, Dhaka
নটর ডেম কলেজ, ঢাকা
Seal of Notre Dame College
Other name	NDC
Former name	St. Gregory's College
Motto	Latin: Diligite Lumen Sapientiae
Motto in English	Love the light of wisdom
Type	Higher secondary school Degree college
Established	November 3, 1949; 75 years ago (1949-11-03)
Accreditation	Dhaka Education Board
Affiliation	National University, Bangladesh
Religious affiliation	Catholic Church (Congregation of Holy Cross)
Endowment	Christians, Ethnic minorities
Principal	Fr. Hemanto Pius Rozario, CSC (2012 - present)
Vice-principal	Fr. Leonard Sankar Rozario, CSC
Students	7000 (As of 2019^[update]) Male
Address	Arambagh, Motijheel , Dhaka , Bangladesh 23°43′52″N 90°25′15″E / 23.7310°N 90.4209°E / 23.7310; 90.4209
Campus	Urban, 5 acres (2.0 ha)
Language	Bangla and English
Demonym	Notredamian
Alumni name	Notre Dame Alumni Association
Colors	Cream (Shirt) Black (Pant)

Notre Dame College, Dhaka (Bengali: নটর ডেম কলেজ, ঢাকা), also known as NDC, is a well-known school and college in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It was started and is run by priests from the Congregation of Holy Cross.

The college began on November 3, 1949. It was first called St. Gregory's College. It was an expansion of St. Gregory's High School. The Roman Catholic priests started it after the government of East Pakistan invited them.

In 1954, the college moved to a new place in Arambagh. It was then named Notre Dame College. The name "Notre Dame" is French for "Our Lady," referring to Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Even with this name, Notre Dame College has always been a school only for boys.

Notre Dame College joined Dhaka University in 1950. By 1959, it was seen as the best school in East Pakistan. At first, it only had Arts and Business courses. Later, it added more advanced courses.

Today, the college offers higher secondary and degree courses in both English and Bengali. It joined the National University in 1992. The National University has called it the top school in the country four times.

The college is run by Christian missionaries. It mainly helps Christian students, tribal students, and those from minority groups or who are less fortunate. However, students from all backgrounds and religions are welcome. Most students have been Bengali Muslims since the college started. In 2019, about 85 percent of the students were Muslims.

In 2012, the Bangladesh Supreme Court gave Notre Dame College a special right. It is one of only four schools allowed to hold its own admission test.

History of Notre Dame College

How the College Started

After India was divided in 1947, the new government of East Pakistan asked the Catholic leaders to build more colleges. Archbishop Lawrence Leo Graner asked the Holy Cross priests to start separate colleges for boys and girls.

So, on November 3, 1949, "St. Gregory's College" opened. It was located at St. Gregory's High School in Laxmibazar, Dhaka. It started with 19 students studying Arts and Commerce. In December 1950, the college moved to another spot in Laxmibazar. That same year, it became part of Dhaka University.

In 1951, Kamal Hossain, who later became a Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, was a student here. By 1953, he was the top student in the Higher Secondary Exam across East Pakistan. In 1951, the college had 55 students. They even put on William Shakespeare's play The Tempest.

Sirajul Islam Chowdhury was also a student in 1952. In 1953, Richard William Timm started the first debating club in East Pakistan, called the "Notre Dame Debating Club." The college also got approval to start BA classes.

In 1953-54, Principal Richard William Timm opened the college's first science department. On September 18, 1954, he also started the "Notre Dame Science Club." This was the first non-formal science group of its kind in the area.

Around this time, the college started its weekly paper "Chit-Chat" and its yearly magazine "Blue and Gold." Other clubs like the "Notre Dame Photography Club" and the "Literary Guild" also began. In 1954, the college moved from Laxmibazar to Arambagh and was renamed "Notre Dame College."

The college added BA courses in 1955 and B.Sc courses in 1960. In 1959, it was recognized as the best college in East Pakistan. Sadly, Principal James L. Martin passed away in 1960. The new building was named "Father Martin Hall" in his honor. Theotonius Amal Ganguly became the first Bengali principal, but he soon became the first Bengali Archbishop of Dhaka.

During the Liberation War

Teaching at Notre Dame College was stopped during the 1969 East Pakistan mass uprising and the liberation war in 1971. Richard William Timm was the principal during the war. Even though the government wanted schools to stay open, Notre Dame College closed because students were not there.

The B.Sc course, which started in 1960, was also stopped. In the last weeks of the war, the college became a safe place for Red Cross and UN officials. On December 14, 1971, two young doctors were taken from their homes and killed by forces called Al-Badr.

After the war, Principal Richard William Timm left his teaching role. He worked hard to help rebuild the country. He helped with relief and human rights through aid groups. Students and teachers from Notre Dame College also went to help people in need.

In 1973, a big flood hit Bangladesh, and the college closed again. The staff helped with relief efforts. Under Principal Richard Timm's guidance, a relief group called "CORR" was started. They provided meals for many people. During the flood and famine in 1974, the college kept helping the government. Principal Richard William Timm received the Magsaysay Award in 1987 for his great work.

In 1974, the Bangladesh government made Bengali a required language for education. This helped many students learn better. An English language course was also started to help students improve their English skills. In 1992, the college joined the National University. English was brought back as a teaching language in 1997.

What Notre Dame Means

Name and Motto

The name 'Notre Dame' comes from French words meaning 'Our Lady.' For Roman Catholics, 'Our Lady' refers to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This is why the college, run by Catholics, is named after her.

The college's motto is in Latin: Diligite Lumen Sapientiae. This means "Love the light of wisdom" in English. In Catholicism, Mary is seen as a symbol of wisdom. The word "wisdom" means seeking knowledge. "Light" means finding truth and getting rid of darkness. "Love" means learning with passion and care.

Emblem and Ideas

The emblem of Notre Dame College has an open book at the top. On its pages are the Greek letters Alpha (Α) and Omega (Ω). These letters are the first and last of the Greek alphabet. They symbolize all wisdom, from beginning to end. This idea comes from a biblical phrase. Books themselves are full of knowledge. So, these symbols mean that the book holds all the knowledge from the past, and gaining it brings understanding to life.

At the bottom of the emblem, there are three parts. On the left, there are seven Lotus flowers. The lotus stands for purity. It also represents the seven sorrows of Mary's life, showing her as the "Mother of Seven Sorrows." It means finding wisdom even when things are tough.

The part on the right shows a river, a boat, golden paddy fields, and blue-green views. This shows that the college is in the beautiful, green country of Bangladesh. At the very bottom, a crucifix comes out of two anchors. This is the symbol of the Congregation of Holy Cross. It means that just as Jesus' crucifixion saved people, we can find salvation by connecting to Jesus, shown by the cross and anchors. The light from the cross shows Jesus' wisdom and glory.

The college has a clear goal: "Notre Dame College Students: Dedicated, Creative, Skilled, and Responsible." Their main idea is to help students grow in every way. They want to encourage self-motivation, creativity, and a desire to help others. They also want students to learn and use knowledge well, and to be ready for life's challenges.

Gallery

Mother Mary Portrait

Fr. Richard Novak Library

Ganguly Building

Fr. Timm & Fr. Peixotto Bhaban

Father Peixotto Bhaban (2022)

Old Basketball Ground (2023)

Father Richard Timm Building

The road in front of the college on a rainy day

Archbishop Ganguly Building

Ganguly Bhaban

Entrance of Fr. Timm Building

Robert Boughey, an American architect, designed the main building of Notre Dame College. He studied architecture in New York and London.

Students

Students at Notre Dame College are called "Notredamians." Each year, the college accepts about 2000-2100 science students. It also takes around 410 students for humanities and 750 for business studies. Getting into the college is very competitive.

The science students are divided into 17 sections, called "Groups." Groups 1 to 14 are for students who study in Bengali. Groups 15, 16, and 17 are for English version students. Humanities has groups H, W, and G. Business studies has groups A, B, C, D, E, and F.

Extracurricular Clubs

The college has 32 clubs where students can join activities outside of classes.

Notre Dame Science Club

The Notre Dame Science Club (NDSC) is the oldest science club in Bangladesh. It was started on September 18, 1955, by Father Richard William Timm, a former principal. The club organizes the biggest science fair for colleges in the country every year.

Its motto is 'Science In Human Welfare'. The club also manages three quiz teams: "NDC Gold," "NDC Blue," and "NDC Green." Each year, it publishes a magazine called "Audri" and wall magazines. The club also holds workshops to help members learn and improve their skills.

Notre Dame Nature Study Club

The Notre Dame Nature Study Club (NDNSC) was the first nature club in Bangladesh. It was founded on August 29, 1984. The club organizes the country's most important nature summit every year.

Its motto is 'Love the beauty of nature'. The club also publishes an annual magazine called "Nishorga."

Juba Red Crescent Club, Notre Dame College

The Juba Red Crescent Club at Notre Dame College is part of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Society. This group works worldwide through volunteers.

Notre Dame Rotaract Club

The Notre Dame Rotaract Club (NDRC) was the first Rotaract club in a college in Bangladesh. It started in 1990. The club helps students develop leadership skills and learn about social, national, and international issues. It also gives them chances to work together and build teamwork.

Notre Dame Abritti Dal

The Notre Dame Abritti Dal is the first college-level recitation group in the region. It was founded on August 18, 1992. The club's motto is “বাক্‌শিল্পকে সমৃদ্ধ কর,” which means “Enrich the art of speech.” For over 30 years, this club has represented Notre Dame College and promoted art and culture.

The club has organized 22 national speech art festivals. It also publishes an annual magazine called ‘বৃন্দ’ and a wall magazine named ‘নৈবেদ্য’. These publications show the writing talents of its members. The club has over 200 members.

Notre Dame International Understanding and Relation Club

The Notre Dame International Understanding and Relation Club (IURC) is one of the oldest international relations clubs in Bangladesh. It was the first such club at the high school or college level. It started on February 20, 1993. The club is known for hosting international events like Education Fairs and Model UN conferences.

It also works with international groups like the American Center Dhaka and the British Council. This club organized the first Model UN at Notre Dame College in 2017. The second Model UN in 2018 had over 500 participants, making it one of the largest in the country.

Notre Dame Writer's Club

This club was founded on July 29, 2001. Its motto is 'অক্ষরে আঁকি সৃষ্টির সৌন্দর্য’ or 'Depicting the beauty of creation in letters'. The club holds workshops on creative writing, publishing books, and journalism. They also organize story writing, handwriting, and quiz competitions regularly. Members of this club often edit 'Dhak-Dhol Chit-Chat,' the college's quarterly publication.

Notre Dame Math Club

The Notre Dame Math Club was started on March 14, 2017, which is also Pi Day. The club regularly holds seminars, workshops, and extra classes for students who like mathematics. It also helps students who need to improve their math skills.

The club organizes an annual event called the Notre Dame Math Festival. During this festival, students from different schools and colleges compete in various math challenges. The club publishes a handwritten magazine called The Number on Pi Day. In 2018, it published its first printed annual magazine, The Function.

Notre Dame Photography Club

Photography is an art form where you try to capture images you imagine. To help students learn this art, the Notre Dame Photography Club was started on August 9, 2017. Its motto is "Frame your dreams." Every year, the club hosts its photography event "Aperture" and publishes a magazine called "JPEG."

Notre Dame Information Technology Club

The Notre Dame Information Technology Club (NDITC) was founded on June 27, 2018. Its goal is to make every student excited about information technology. The club's slogan is INNOVATE AND ENCODE YOUR IDEAS.

The club's activities include Competitive programming, Graphics design, Content Writing, Robotics, and Video Editing. The club regularly holds different competitions for students. CodeCompass is the club's monthly newsletter.

Notre Dame Media and Communication Club

The Notre Dame Media and Communication Club was founded in 2022.

Notre Dame Yoga and Meditation Club

The Notre Dame Yoga and Meditation Club helps students find peace and focus.

College Leaders

Christian priests from the Congregation of Holy Cross manage the college in Dhaka. Since it started, ten priests have served as the principal.

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)

Father Timm was a famous biologist. He won the 1987 Ramon Magsaysay award for his work in international understanding. He also started the Notre Dame Science Club and the Notre Dame Debating Club.