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Chittagong University Faces Uproar as Hindu Professor's Promotion Halted Amid Islamist Protests

A major controversy has erupted at Chittagong University after a Hindu Sanskrit professor, Dr. Kushal Baran Chakraborty, was allegedly harassed and prevented from attending his scheduled promotion interview. The incident, which unfolded on July 4th, has triggered widespread condemnation, highlighting the growing tension between radical Islamist student groups and minority academics in Bangladesh’s educational institutions.


Dr Kushal Baran Chakraborty (left), Muslim students create ruckus outside VC building (right) | OpIndia
Dr Kushal Baran Chakraborty (left), Muslim students create ruckus outside VC building (right) | OpIndia

Promotion Disrupted by Islamist Student Protest

On the day of the scheduled interview, members of Islamist student groups, including Islami Chhatra Shibir and Islami Chhatra Andolon, staged a disruptive protest at the university's administrative building. The protesters locked the offices of the Vice-Chancellor and top officials, demanding that Dr. Chakraborty be disqualified from the promotion process. Accusing him of being involved in a November 2024 attempted murder case and labeling him a "fascist sympathizer," the students insisted his promotion would tarnish the integrity of the university.


Eyewitnesses reported that the protesters shouted slogans against Dr. Chakraborty and forcefully confined him, along with several officials, inside the Vice-Chancellor's office for nearly three hours. Video footage captured during the protest showed Shibir leader Habibullah Khaled aggressively confronting the professor and intimidating university staff.


University Administration’s Capitulation

Following hours of intense pressure and growing unrest, the acting registrar of the university, Professor Mohammad Saiful Islam, announced the suspension of the promotion board. Citing “the sensitivity of the situation,” the administration said that the board could not function in a volatile environment. While the university refrained from officially endorsing the protesters' allegations, officials stated that an inquiry would be launched to verify claims made by the students.


Vice-Chancellor Professor Yahya Akhter later emphasized that the university is not a court and cannot determine criminal culpability, but admitted that the administration was forced to act to maintain order. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Shamim Uddin also confirmed that the promotion board was dissolved in direct response to the ongoing student agitation.


Professor Chakraborty Denies Allegations

Dr. Kushal Baran Chakraborty, who has served as an Assistant Professor in the Sanskrit department, strongly denied all allegations against him. In a statement to the press, he asserted that he was not named in any official charge sheet related to the November incident and that he was being falsely accused by radical groups seeking to block his career advancement. He claimed that the protests were premeditated, with rumors about his supposed criminal links circulating days before the interview.


He described the ordeal as humiliating and traumatic, saying he was kept confined under duress before finally being escorted out of the campus around 7 p.m. by university authorities. Dr. Chakraborty, a minority Hindu academic in a Muslim-majority institution, has now become the face of a larger issue concerning the marginalization of minority voices in Bangladeshi academia.


Reactions from Students and Civil Society

The incident sparked strong reactions across the country. Hindu student organizations such as the Sanatani Jagran Jote and Sanatan Vidyarthi Sangsad condemned the attack on Dr. Chakraborty, accusing Islamist student factions of enforcing religious intolerance on campus. They argued that the administration’s decision to suspend the promotion board reflected institutional cowardice and a surrender to mob pressure.


Secular and pro-minority activists also expressed concern that the political space created by the current government—particularly the unbanning of radical Islamist outfits like Jamaat-e-Islami and Ansarullah Bangla Team under Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus—has emboldened extremist groups within educational spaces. According to them, this has led to an alarming rise in ideological intimidation, often targeting Hindus, Buddhists, and secular Muslims.


Meanwhile, some left-leaning student groups, under the banner of "Students Against Discrimination," supported the protest, claiming that the university must not promote individuals linked to authoritarian or communal politics. However, critics argue that such accusations are often used selectively against religious minorities to block their advancement.


Media Coverage and Broader Implications

The story was widely reported by national and international outlets, including The Daily Star, The Business Standard, Prothom Alo, bdnews24, and OpIndia. Coverage highlighted not just the incident itself but the systemic issues it represents—particularly how religious and political intimidation is used to influence academic decisions in public universities.


Bangladeshi society has long struggled with balancing secularism and the rising influence of Islamist forces. The Dr. Chakraborty case is seen by many as a litmus test for the country’s commitment to academic freedom, religious tolerance, and minority rights.


Conclusion

The suspension of Dr. Kushal Baran Chakraborty’s promotion process has exposed the deepening fault lines in Bangladesh’s educational system, where religious identity and ideological affiliations are increasingly influencing administrative decisions. While the university administration claims it acted out of concern for campus safety, many believe it bowed to mob pressure at the expense of fairness and meritocracy.


As the controversy continues to unfold, there are growing calls from civil society and academia for an independent investigation and for firm action to ensure that university campuses remain spaces for learning—not platforms for ideological persecution. Whether Chittagong University will uphold those principles remains to be seen.


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