Ongoing Islamist Onslaught: Hindu Academics & Professionals Forced to Resign in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Bleeds Talent: Frightened Hindu Academics Forced Out by Islamist Extremism.

Sankirtan Das | HENB | Kolkata | Aug 31, 2024::  What is the current state of the education sector in Bangladesh? Reports suggest that Islamist groups are allegedly exerting pressure on Hindu educators, including teachers, lecturers, and professors, to resign from their positions. This is reportedly part of an effort to create Islamic campuses in Bangladesh that are free from diverse influences.

Still now, Bangladesh continues to witness a surge in Islamist extremism, resulting in a systematic purge of Hindu academics and professionals. Despite international concerns, the forced resignations and exodus of Hindus from their positions and homes persist, raising alarm about the erosion of minority rights and the growing climate of intolerance.

On August 29, 2024, it was reported that Smt. Shukla Rani Haldar, a former English teacher at Government Brojomohon College in Barishal and recently the Principal of Bakerganj Government College, was forced to resign due to pressure from Islamist groups. This incident is part of a disturbing trend of educators being coerced into resigning, with Haldar being the latest victim, having submitted her resignation on Thursday, August 29, 2024.

If education is indeed the backbone of a nation, then the forced resignation of teachers in Bangladesh is a deeply troubling trend. The silence of Chief Advisors like Prof. Muhammad Yunus is equally concerning, raising questions about their stance on this issue. Are they indifferent, or are they tacitly supporting this movement? Such incidents are unprecedented in the last 50 years, and it’s heartbreaking to see teachers, the pillars of education, being humiliated by their own students under the influence of the fundamental outsiders. The contribution of teachers is invaluable, and their efforts shape the minds of future generations. The current attempts to revamp the education system in Bangladesh, driven by fundamentalist ideologies, are a stark reminder of the importance of speaking out against such actions. The situation demands condemnation and urgent attention from the authorities.

Reports of forced resignations of Hindu teachers, lecturers, and professors from Bangladeshi schools, colleges, universities, and educational institutions surfaced in mid-August. Islamist students and proponents of Jamat and Hefazat subsequently extended their pressure campaign to even liberal Muslim academics who didn’t align with their ideology. In an attempt to justify their actions, the Islamist elements falsely linked the resignations to corruption and political issues, obscuring the true motives behind their campaign.

On August 20, Radharamn Das, Vice President and spokesperson of ISKCON, shared a disturbing update on social media platform X. He revealed how Gautam Chandra Pal, a renowned Hindu Chemistry teacher at Azimpur Government College, had fallen victim to the systematic persecution by Islamist groups in Bangladesh. Despite being honored as the best Chemistry teacher, Pal was coerced into resigning by Muslim students at the college, highlighting the growing concerns of religious intolerance and academic freedom in the region.

On August 19, Sonali Rani Das, a Hindu Assistant Professor at Holi Red Crescent Nursing College in Dhaka, was allegedly forced to resign after a traumatic ordeal. In an emotional interview with HENB, a 55-year-old Hindu lady teacher from Bangladesh recounted her harrowing experience, breaking down in tears as she described being physically locked up and coerced into resigning by her Muslim students. “I taught and nurtured many students, but they assaulted me, calling me ‘Kafir’ and ‘Malaun’,” she lamented. “I had to escape through my office window to save my life.” The lady teacher’s distressing account highlights the growing concerns of religious persecution and academic freedom in Bangladesh.

On August 18, a group of students with radical mindsets surrounded and confined Khuku Rani Biswas, the head of Jessore Nursing Institute, in her office for five hours, demanding her resignation. This incident is part of a larger trend of persecution, as reported on social media and by some Bangladeshi media outlets, where numerous Hindu academics and teachers from various educational institutions have faced relentless pressure and intimidation from Islamist groups, forcing many to resign.

Reports on social media and Bangladeshi news outlets indicate a growing trend of Islamist persecution targeting Hindu academics and teachers across various educational institutions in Bangladesh.

According to reports, Mihir Ranjan Halder, Vice Chancellor of Khulna Engineering and Technology University, was forced to resign on August 12. Similarly, Ratan Kumar Majumdar, Principal of Puranbazar Degree College in Chandpur, also faced forced resignation. Additionally, family members of a victim revealed that Muslim students at Setabganj Government College in Dinajpur district are demanding the resignation of Principal Subodh Chandra Roy and office staff member Nirmal Chandra Roy. In another incident, the daughter of renowned singer Subir Nandi was harassed and told to “go to Bharat”, highlighting the growing concerns of religious persecution and intolerance in Bangladesh.”

On August 14, Muslim students coerced Soumitra Sekhar, the Vice Chancellor of Kazi Nazrul Islam University in Moymonsingha district, Bangladesh, into resigning, marking another incident of forced resignation of a Hindu academic in the country.

Following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her subsequent departure from Bangladesh amidst an Islamic surge disguised as a students’ movement, the HENB Web team has compiled a list of educators who have been subjected to forced resignation in recent times. The list includes: 

1. Gautam Chandra Pal, Department of Chemistry, Azimpur Girls School and College, Azimpur, Dhaka.
2. Bhavesh Chandra Roy, Principal, Police Line School and College, Thakurgaon
3. Sonali Rani Das, Associate Professor (Nursing) Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Moghbazar Dhaka
4. Professor Dr. Banga Kamal Bose, Principal, Gazi Medical College, Khulna.
5. Prof. Dr. Kanta Roy Mimi, Principal (former) and Head of Department, Department of Anatomy, M Abdur Rahim Medical College, Dinajpur.
6. Adrish Aditya Mandal, Principal, Kapotaksha College, Koira, Khulna.
7. Professor Amit Roy Chowdhury, Treasurer, Khulna University
8. Suben Kumar, Resident Teacher, Rajshahi University
9. Dilip Kumar, Resident Teacher, Rajshahi University
10. Keka Roy Chowdhury, Acting Principal Vikarunnisa School and College, Bailey Road.
11. Professor Dr. Deepika Rani Sarkar, Provost of Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib Hall, Jagannath University
12. Professor Dr. Mihir Ranjan Halder, Vice-Chancellor, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET)
13. Professor Soumitra Shekhar, Vice-Chancellor, Kazi Nazrul Islam University,
14. Radha Govind Principal, Ashraf Ali Multipurpose High School, Dhaljora Union, Kaliakair Upazila
15. Dipan Dutta, Principal, Kishoreganj Nursing College
16. Beauty Mazumder, Principal, Feni Nursing College
17. Alpana Biswas, Principal, Jahrul Hall Nursing Institute
18. Khuku Biswas, Principal, Jessore Nursing Institute
19. Tapsee Bhattacharya, Principal, Anwar Khan Modern Nursing College
20. Prof. Benu Kumar Dey, Vice-Chancellor, Chattagram University.
21. Ratan Kumar Majumder – Principal, Puran Bazar Degree College, Chandpur
22. Dr. Satya Prasad Majumder – VC, BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology)
23. Kanchan Kumar Biswas – Physics Teacher, Jhenaidah Collectorate School & College
24. Dr. Dulal Chandra Roy – Director, IQAC, RU
25. Dr. Pranab Kumar Pandey – Public Relations Administrator, RB
26. Dr. Puranjit Mahaldar – Assistant Proctor, RB
27. Dr. Ratan Kumar – Assistant Proctor, RB
28. Dr. Vijay Kumar Debnath – Sathiya Pilot Model School, Pabna
29. Dr. Taapsee Bhattacharya – Principal, Anwar Khan Modern Nursing College
30. Dr Chayan Kumar Roy – Principal, Khan Saheb Kamaruddin College (Processing)
31. Biswajit Kumar – Principal, Manirampur Adarsh ​​Madhyamik School (Processing)
32. Gitanjali Barua – Principal, Azimpur Girls School
33. Subrata Bikash Barua – Vice Principal, Chittagong College
34. Nani Bagchi – Principal, Bardem Nursing College (Processing)
35. Dharitri Das- Madaripur Nursing Institute
36. Pradeep Das – Madaripur Nursing Institute
37. Radha Govind, Head Teacher, Ashraf Ali Multipurpose High School, Kaliakair Upazila, Dhaljora Union.
38. Dipan Dutta, Principal, Kishoreganj Nursing College.
39. Beauty Majumder, Principal, Feni Nursing College.
40. Alpana Biswas, Principal, Jahrul Hall Nursing College.
41. Tapsee Bhattacharya, Principal, Anwar Khan Mordan Nursing College.
42. Prof. Benu Kumar Dey, Vice-Chancellor, Chabi.
43. Uttam Kumar Saha, Head Teacher, Vidyaniketan High School, Narayanganj.
44. Anupam Mahajan, Head Teacher, Khagria Multipurpose High School.
45. Mahadev Chandra Dey, Head Teacher, Didar Model High School, Adarsh ​​Sadar, Comilla.
46. Dr. Kanak Kumar Barua, Head, Department of Chemistry, Chittagong College.
47. Dr. Babul Chandra Nath, Assistant Professor, Chittagong College.
48. Sameer Kanti Nath, Assistant Professor Botany, Chittagong College.
49. Ajay Kumar Dutta, Professor of Chemistry, Chittagong College.
50. Subhash Chandra Das, Chemistry, Chittagong College.
51. Arpan Kumar Chowdhury, Principal, Economics, Chittagong College.
52. ​​Krishna Barua, Government Professor, Philosophy, Chittagong College.
53. Subrata Vikas Barua, Vice Principal, Chittagong College.
54. Subodh Chandra Roy, In-charge, Setabganj Government College.
55. Nirmal Chandra Roy, Office Assistant, Setabganj Government College.

This list highlights the alarming trend of forced resignations of Hindu teachers, lecturers, professors, and academics in Bangladesh, raising concerns about religious persecution and academic freedom in the country.

Bangladesh’s educational campuses have abruptly transformed into hotbeds of Islamist extremism. Recently, Dhaka University witnessed Muslim students jubilantly chanting racist slogans against India, while at Rajshahi University, students provocatively scrawled graffiti at the campus entrance, declaring ‘Dogs and Indians are not allowed’.

But, this is not a particular attack on the academics in Bangladesh, the crypto-Islamist and Chief advisor of the interim Government Prof Muhammad Yunus representing  a deep-state Bangladesh, has taken a revengeful step towards all the people who are not in his liking. Accordingly, he has fired a huge number of officials and elected members from various bodies in Bangladesh.

Renowned war strategist and international relations expert Brahma Chellaney has lambasted the interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, for its sweeping purge of elected officials. In a move deemed politically motivated, the government has ousted 363 municipal mayors, 60 district council chairmen (Zila Parishad), and 493 upazila chairmen from their positions, sparking widespread concern and criticism.

The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus, appears to be systematically dismantling the rights and powers of minority Hindus in various aspects of society, including education, politics, and economics. Yunus’s stance has earned him widespread support among Islamist groups, who view him as a champion for their cause against non-Muslims.
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__Inputs from Agencies.