Bangladesh News World

Bangladesh: Islamist Students Force Bangladeshi Hindu Professors To Resign

August 23, 2024
The Commune

Islamists in Bangladesh are systematically forcing Hindu professors to resign amid escalating minority persecution. The campaign, which has led to the forced resignation of numerous Hindu educators, reflects a broader effort to marginalise and expel minority Hindus from the country. Reports highlight harrowing accounts of intimidation and coercion since the coup that ousted Sheikh Hasina.

Hindu Persecution in Bangladesh

The crisis in Bangladesh began on August 5, 2024, when a coup resulted in the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In the chaotic aftermath, Islamists exploited the situation to launch violent attacks against the Hindu community. Minority Hindus in Bangladesh are facing daily persecution, including numerous deaths, rapes, and the widespread destruction of Hindu homes, shops, and temples. Further complicating the situation, student vigilante groups have emerged, enforcing strict Islamic practices and delivering sermons on “rightful conduct.” These groups have taken it upon themselves to police public behaviour, including warning smokers to quit and dictating that merchants limit their profits to a mere 5 taka per sale.

Hindu Teachers Forced To Resign

In the wake of these events, a disturbing trend has emerged targeting Hindu educators across the country. The forced resignation of Sonali Rani Das, an Assistant Professor at Red Crescent Nursing College in Dhaka, exemplifies the growing persecution faced by Hindu professionals in Bangladesh.

On August 19, 2024, Sonali Rani Das was the centre of a harrowing ordeal that led to her forced resignation. In a press conference held at Dhaka’s NatiDhaka’sess Club, Das recounted her traumatic experience with tears in her eyes. She described how students cornered her in her office, presented her with a pre-printed resignation letter, and demanded immediate resignation.

She said, “Students forced me to resign. They brought a printed resignation letter, gheraoed and intimidated me to resign. They grabbed my hand and took my thumb impression on the resignation letter.”

With tears” in her eyes, she continued, “They kept me captive in my office for 4-5 hours. They didn’t even let me use the washroom. I was told I could use the washroom only if I signed the resignation letter. Yet, I didn’t sign the letter. They forcefully took my thumb impression. I was humiliated, and they threatened me with physical harassment. After taking my thumb impression forcefully, they took the letter to the board’s chairman and submitted it. They harassed me, made videos, and posted those on social media.”

Sadly, Sonali Rani Das is not the only Hindu professor in Bangladesh to face this onslaught. Reports suggest that as many as 60 Hindu teachers, professors, and government officials in Bangladesh were forced to resign in recent days. This systematic targeting of Hindu educators appears to be part of a more extensive campaign of persecution against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh.

Hindu Teachers Targeted

Gautam Chandra Pal, a chemistry teacher at Azimpur Government College, was once felicitated as the best chemistry teacher and was forced to resign by Muslim students.

Students gheraoed Khuku Rani Biswas, who was in charge of Jessore Nursing Institute, in her office for five hours as they demanded her resignation.

Mihir Ranjan Halder, the Vice Chancellor of Khulna Engineering and Technology University, was forced to resign on August 12, 2024.

Islamist groups also forced Ratan Kumar Majumdar, the principal of Puranbazar Degree College in Chandpur, to step down.

Soumitra Sekhar, the Vice Chancellor of Kazi Nazrul Islam University in Moymonsingha district, was forced to resign on August 14, 2024.

Principal Subodh Chandra Roy and staff Nirmal Chandra Roy at Setabganj Government College in Dinajpur district are facing demands to resign.

Leaked Telegram Messages Confirm Planned Hindu Genocide

A few days ago, we reported about leaked Telegram messages from private Jamaat-e-Islami and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) groups. These messages revealed a disturbing campaign to marginalise and expel Hindus from Bangladesh following the August 5 coup. These messages outlined a strategy to remove Hindu officials, frame their persecution as a political conspiracy, and exacerbate violence against the community.

One of the messages, allegedly circulated within a pro-Jamaat group and forwarded from a private BNP channel, outlined a chilling strategy: “If we want to create a Bangladesh free from Hindus, we must first force all the major Hindu government officials to resign and ensure that Muslims are recruited instead. It will weaken the resolve of ordinary Hindus, and they will be forced to leave for India. We have started our work; if you know any such Hindu public servants, please help us by providing information.”

The situation has not improved under Muhammad Yunus’s Administration. Reports indicate that 363 municipal mayors, 60 district councils (Zila Parishad), and 493 upazila chairmen were removed, further destabilising the country.

As Bangladesh grapples with this crisis, the international community is still silent. Systematic targeting of Hindu professors and professionals in Bangladesh violates fundamental human rights. 

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