Rajshahi Cadet College

Rajshahi Cadet College (Bengali: রাজশাহী ক্যাডেট কলেজ), or RCC, is a military high school, located in Sardah, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is situated by the bank of river Padma at Mukhtarpur village of Sardah in Charghat of Rajshahi District of the northern region of Bangladesh.

History
The Rajshahi Cadet College is 25 km away from Rajshahi city. The college, the foundation of which was laid by the then President of Pakistan, Field Marshall Ayub Khan, on 6 November 1964, was formally inaugurated on 11 February 1966 as Ayub Cadet college, which was renamed soon after the independence of Bangladesh.

The college was initially named Ayub Cadet College. It was established in 1966 during the Pakistan period. Pakistani dictator and Field Marshal Ayub Khan named the institution by his own name and laid the foundation stone. East Pakistan Governor Munaim Khan, a collaborator of the Pakistan occupation army who was later assassinated in 1971, inaugurated the college. The name was changed after Bangladesh obtained independence, and it is now known as Rajshahi Cadet College (RCC).

Late Wing Commander (Retd) Mohammad Syed PAF was the founding Principal of the college who joined on November 1, 1965. The first Budget and Accounts Officer to join the college was the late Gholam Mustafa, the father of cadet 4/185, Prof Dr. Gholam Mujtaba. Most of the development projects including all the four dormitories were completed during his tenure.

The first Adjutant to join was Capt. Khaled Adib (Punjab) on February 2, 1968. Mr. M Saleh Uddin Sinha joined as the first teacher of the college. It was the last among four cadet colleges established during the Pakistani colonial period in East Pakistan. The first Bangalee Principal of the college (third Principal) appointed on January 1, 1970 was Mr. M. Bakiatullah. Many teachers, students and other staff of the college, including Shaheed AB Siddiqui Bir Bikram (BB), laid down their lives for the freedom of the country. Eight cadets and ten staff embraced martyrdom while four staff of the college still remain missing.

The first Bangalee Adjutant of the college (third Adjutant) was Capt. MA Rashid (FF) who joined on September 23, 1970. Capt. Rashid Bir Bikram (later Colonel; given the death penalty in the abortive coup that killed President Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam at Chittagong in 1981) inspired cadets to join the Bangladesh independence war in 1971. The college founding day is celebrated every year on February 11. The alumni association of the graduate students of the college is known as the Old Rajshahi Cadets Association (ORCA).

ORCA
In 1972, after the war of liberation Rajshahi Cadet College was reopened. The whole campus was grief-stricken and was in a mourning mood. Classes resumed with a lack of teachers, employees, and students.

The students decided to form a platform that would preserve the brotherly ties of the ex-cadets of RCC. These sentiments culminated in the formation of OSCA (Old Sardah Cadets Association) on June 6, 1972. The first constitution of OSCA/ORCA framed by the committee was adopted on October 1, 1973. The ORCA logo (with the words 'old friends') was designed by Muhammad Ehsanullah. AKM Saiful Majid was selected/elected as the founder Vice-President of the Association. Shortly thereafter as he left the country M Sadirul Islam took over the reins.

During that time and subsequent periods, the incumbent Principal of Rajshahi Cadet College was designated as the ex officio President of OSCA/ORCA. Therefore, Mr. M. Bakiatullah (late) became the first President of OSCA/ORCA. The first office was located at Room no. 544, Hajee Mahammad Mohsin Hall, University of Dhaka. Thereafter it was moved to Dilkusha Sporting Club at the Outer Stadium and the Association was renamed as Old Rajshahi Cadets Association (ORCA). Before moving to the 250, New Elephant Road, during an intervening period of 1978=1980, the office was located at 58 Lake Circus, Kalabagan. ORCA is now housed at House No. 28, Lake Drive Road, Nikunja-1, Dhaka-1229.