On Thursday (22nd August), a controversial student body in Bangladesh dubbed ‘Odhikar Sochetan Shikharti Samaj’ (Rights awareness student society) released a list of 100 teachers and accused them of being ‘anti-hijab.’
The comprehensive list featured educators from all prominent institutions in the Islamic Republic, including the University of Dhaka.
According to a report by Kalbela, the so-called students demanded the immediate dismal of the ‘anti-hijab’ teachers from their respective institutes in Bangladesh.
A students' association in Bangladesh has brought out a list of 100 teachers who are anti-hijab. This report by Bangladeshi media outlet Kalbela points to a disturbing trend of targetting those you do not agree with. Bangladesh civil society has turned on itself. pic.twitter.com/MrcioueJ5t
— Deep Halder (@deepscribble) August 25, 2024
One of the convenors of the controversial student body, Muhiuddin Rahat alleged that women who wear hijab and niqab ‘suffer’ the most discrimination and oppression in educational institutes.
‘Odhikar Sochetan Shikharti Samaj’ claimed that a group of teachers regularly harassed hijab-wearing students during classes, exams and viva. Soon after, the demand extended to wearing of niqab and burqa.
While speaking to Kalbela, he claimed, “In today’s discrimination-free Bangladesh, the oppression of hijab-wearing girls needs to end. So, we students will stand by our oppressed sisters. We demand dismissal and punishment for all teachers who have discriminated against students wearing hijab, niqab or burqa.”
Hindus suffer at the hands of Islamists
OpIndia analysed the names of 100 teachers who were labelled ‘anti-hijab’ by the ‘Odhikar Sochetan Shikharti Samaj’. We found that at least 21 of them are Hindus while 5 of them are Christians.
We previously reported how Muslim students have forced as many as 60 Hindu teachers, professors and government officials to resign from their positions.
On 5th August, Bangladesh descended into chaos after a successful coup ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, forcing her to flee the country. In the aftermath, Islamists took advantage of the situation to carry out violent attacks on the Hindu community.
