Human Rights Watch has criticised disciplinary action against academics and students at Bangladeshi public universities over alleged links to Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised concerns over the arbitrary punishment of academics and students at public universities in Bangladesh over their alleged links to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party. The US-based rights group warned that dismissals, suspensions and expulsions without credible investigations or due process could violate fundamental rights to freedom of expression and association.
In a statement, HRW said scores of academics and hundreds of students were facing disciplinary action over their alleged political affiliations, raising concerns about growing restrictions on academic freedom across the country.
“Any acts of revenge against people who peacefully supported the previous government would show that freedoms of speech and assembly are not protected. Universities should be places where people are free to express their views, not places where support is enforced for the government of the day,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, Deputy Asia Director at HRW.
The rights body said the sanctions were based on allegations of complicity in violence during the Awami League government’s tenure, which ended following violent student-led protests in 2024. Other accusations included involvement in alleged “subversive” activities supporting Hasina’s party and discrimination against students wearing Islamic clothing.
HRW also highlighted the expulsion of hundreds of students allegedly associated with the Awami League, warning that such measures could deprive them of their right to education.
Hundreds of academics face investigations
Citing recent media reports, HRW said at least 404 additional academics from 22 universities had been placed under investigation for their membership in a pro-Awami League group on the Telegram messaging platform.
The organisation quoted an unnamed professor at a public university as describing restrictions on teaching and research activities.
“What is happening now is that the university authorities are targeting with false allegations, the group of teachers who are aligned to the Awami League and did not support the 2024 student movement. We are not allowed to go take classes, we cannot do research work; we cannot do anything,” the professor said.
The rights group said the measures against academics began in September 2024, when newly appointed authorities at Dhaka University, Bangladesh’s most prestigious university, ordered 44 academics to stop working and restricted the teaching assignments of another 25.
These actions were taken without a transparent or credible disciplinary investigation, HRW said.
Following an inquiry committee’s findings, six of the academics were formally placed under temporary suspension, while similar investigations were initiated against another 14 teachers.
HRW said the disciplinary measures, which began under the previous Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration, had continued under the current BNP government.
The organisation warned that targeting academics and students over their political beliefs or peaceful affiliations undermines freedom of expression and association and threatens the independence of universities.
It stressed that universities should remain spaces where students and academics can freely express their views without fear of political retaliation or arbitrary punishment.
