Sada Dal of Dhaka University, a BNP-leaning teachers’ alliance, has strongly condemned and protested remarks made by State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, who compared Dhaka University to a “coaching centre.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, Sada Dal said the comments made by the state minister were “highly derogatory, irresponsible and unacceptable under any circumstances”.
The organisation said Dhaka University currently ranks among the country’s leading research-based institutions and holds the top position among public universities in Bangladesh in terms of research output and publications. It also noted that, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia rankings, the university remains one of the country’s premier centres for higher education and research.
Sada Dal further stated that nearly 56 active research bureaus and specialised centres operate under the university’s science, arts and social science faculties, including the Centre for Advanced Research in Sciences (CARS) and the Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR). It added that teachers and students regularly publish research in internationally recognised Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals.
The statement alleged that the state minister had compared Dhaka University with two private universities based on what it described as “incorrect information”, calling the remarks highly condemnable.
It further said Dhaka University is not merely an educational institution but is deeply connected to the history, foundation and development of independent Bangladesh.
According to Sada Dal, the university played a leading role in major anti-autocracy movements in the country, including the anti-Ershad movement of the 1990s, resistance against the post-1/11 political situation, and the 2024 anti-fascist mass uprising involving students and the public.
The statement also highlighted Dhaka University’s role in promoting Bengali culture, secular values and the tradition of Pahela Baishakh celebrations, adding that despite limited funding and what it described as state neglect, the institution continues to earn global recognition for its academic contributions.
It said: “Bangladesh means Dhaka University,” adding that it was unfortunate for a state minister to describe such a historic institution as a “coaching centre”.
Sada Dal further stated that the remarks were unbecoming of a responsible government official and amounted to “ignorant and historically uninformed comments”, adding that they had deeply offended teachers, students, alumni and the wider university community.
The organisation demanded an immediate withdrawal of the remarks, warning that teachers and students would be compelled to announce tougher programmes if the comments were not retracted.
The statement was signed by Sada Dal convener Prof Dr Md Morshed Hasan Khan and joint conveners Prof Dr Abdus Salam and Prof Dr Md Abul Kalam Sarker.
