Dhaka University’s Department of English has removed an associate professor from her teaching duties following allegations that she verbally abused a master’s student for wearing a niqab, sparking a classroom walkout and formal demands for her dismissal.
The controversy centres on an associate professor at the department, Tasneem Siraj Mahboob, who allegedly branded the student wearing niqab a “fundamentalist” and “terrorist” during a lecture on Wednesday, whilst publicly interrogating her religious attire.
The department took swift action following an emergency meeting of its academic committee.
Tazin Aziz Chaudhury, chairperson of the department, confirmed that the committee resolved to transfer Mahboob’s current courses to other faculty members. She added that the matter has been referred to higher university authorities, as formal disciplinary measures exceed the department’s mandate.
According to the complainant, who was sitting in the front row, the incident began when the lecturer ordered her to move, saying she felt “uncomfortable and unsafe”.
The student alleged that Tasneem subsequently criticised her niqab, questioned its Islamic jurisprudence, and cited her own pilgrimage to Makkah to argue that women leave their faces uncovered during Hajj.
Witnesses corroborated the account, noting that Tasneem demanded the student move to the back of the room because her face covering was “distracting”. When the student and her classmates defended the choice as a matter of personal faith, a tense verbal exchange ensued, prompting the complainant and most of the class to walk out in protest.
On Thursday, students led by Umme Salma, who is also the common room, reading room and cafeteria secretary of Dhaka University Central Students Union (Ducsu), submitted a formal complaint detailing five key demands: a prompt, impartial investigation; permanent dismissal if the allegations are proven; an unconditional public apology; immediate removal from all academic assessment duties; and official protection against academic retaliation.
DU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane told TIMES that the administration is awaiting the department’s formal findings before deciding on further disciplinary action.
“Instructors must refrain from making comments that impinge on personal or religious freedoms to the extent that an entire class feels compelled to protest,” Alfasane said, emphasising the need to safeguard a healthy academic environment.
