St Gregory’s High School is located near the Victoria park of Laxmi bazar. This Catholic school was established in 1882 by the Father Gregory De Groote who was a Belgian Benedict priest. Initially the school was built for the expat students only. But later on some native students were enrolled in the school.
I have heard lots of about this St Gregory’s High School. I knew that this one is the best school from the Old Dhaka. But after my visit to the school, and hearing more from the local people and my friends, I found even in this day it is one of the best schools from Bangladesh.
Currently the school has an ‘U’ shaped 5 stored large building. I liked the school building. It’s nicely decorated and very neat and clean. School has two sections, morning and day. Day section uses to dismiss by 5:00pm at afternoon. After that you are free to enter the school premise.
Inside the school boundary you’d find a church, and a brother house. At the brother house the teachers used to live (not sure now who lives). Also you’d find a two stored small house inside the school premise. This one was the first education building when it was initially built.
I was amazed when I came to know that the famous Notre Dame College was initially started from here, and its name was then Gregory’s College. Now a days there has a quota for the Gregory’s students in Notre Dame college after successfully completion of the matriculation examination. This school stopped its education system in few occasions. One of those was after 1970. Also the school lost its pride in that period of time. But later on redeemed the pride and still continuing that with the proud Gregorians.
This school has one basket ball playground for the students. If you visit the school at afternoon you’d find boys are playing. Sometimes the teachers, even the principal uses to play with the boys. Also there is a large football ground where boys were playing both football and cricket.
Finally the school has lot of prominent faces who were created by the school. Among them Dr Amartya Sen (Nobel Laureate Economist), Tajuddin Ahmed (first prime minister of Bangladesh), Dr Kamal Hossain (former law and justice minister of Bangladesh) are greatly remembered. You can read more about the school from the wikipedia.
St Gregory’s High School,
Laxmibazar,
Old Dhaka,
Country: Bangladesh,
Gps coordinate (23°42’29.4″N, 90°24’52.1″E).
Written by Lonely Traveler,
For blog alonelytraveler.com
Saturday, 24th April 2010
I am a 1972 Gregorian batch…..I now live in UK….What is your email??
Yes …that's true Subhasish….
My father used to read in this school but I do not know the exact year. Maybe in the starting of 40's. I am residing in Kolkata but my origin is from Dhaka, Bangladesh.
I have lost my father just 20n days back. Maybe, my father used to sit in the old school building.
If I ever visit Bangladesh, surely I will come here to find my father's childhood days.
I was a student at St. Gregory's High School, Dacca, East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh). I attended the school after finishing my Kg's , class 1.2.3.4 at St Francis Xavier's which was next door. This was back in the 50's and 60's during Bro. Matinian, Bro. Felex, Bro, Paul, Bro Donald, Bro Thomas Moore, Bro Fulgence, the last two on this list were the Head masters. After searching for a long time I found all the photos the old school buildings and the new and very happy to see my educational establishment grow so big. I left Dacca in 1962 for the the UK and never returned. The only Bro I had a short contact was with Bro. Robi, but I see he is no longer the Headmaster. I lost contact with all my fellow students friends and really have no idea were the are . In the 70's and 80's I went to live in the USA . I came to be a teacher of English in Thailand 17 years ago and now I live here, retired. At this point in writing this I am not hopeful that anyone would know me, if someone does from Dakha I would like that. Look forward in anticipation to a message in due course. My last name is Gonsalves , it does not show up in the name box.
Yup, this is my school. Thanks for visiting and writing about it.
The school is still as amazing as before. The teachers always maintained the traditional education system and the students are all a part of a giant community.
Almost in each QTR there is a big program: science fair, quiz contest, debate, sports etc.
Every Gregorian is warmly welcomed in those events. We really like to meet and talk to seniors and learn from them.
Proud to be a Gregorian.
Rakib (Batch 2007)
Yes, heard a lot about this school from my father who is 75 now and in his bed. Though I have not been to Bangladesh till date as we stay in Kolkata but this is a complete different feeling to see the images of that school where my father used to read so many years back!
Left Dhaka in June 1971, never went back, was a class ten student then.
Hiya Subhasish sorry to ask you this question, as I used to be a student in the early sixties, and did my matriculation in 1962……and I do agree that the school looks much better but don't you think the old part of the school is a heritage and such an old building. It will be nice to hear from you and find out when you finished your matriculation
The school looks much better today than it was in the sixties when I studied there. We then had English medium and Bengali medium sections.
We had the privilege of being taught by some of the best teachers you can dream of. There were American and Canadian Brothers who used to teach English.
A great school to be in.
Subhasish Podder
London
may be… i am not from that school… just traveling… 🙂
Has the school been renovated?