Academics and students accused of ties to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party continue to face allegations of political persecution across the country's public universities — with the crackdown reportedly persisting under the newly elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government, according to a report published on 15 November 2026.

Pattern of Persecution Across Campuses

The report raises serious concerns about academic freedom, political retaliation, and the right to dissent in a country still grappling with the aftermath of a violent political transition. At Dhaka University, the institution's Syndicate on 31 August decided to suspend three professors and initiate tribunal proceedings against them over their alleged conduct during the July 2024 uprising. The teachers denied the allegations and accused university authorities of political harassment.

One high-profile case involves Professor Mashiur Rahman of Dhaka University's Sociology department, who was accused of calling the student movement 'illegal, baseless and irrational' during a television discussion in July 2024. However, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reviewed a recording of the programme and found no such remarks in it — a discrepancy that critics say illustrates the broader climate of unverified allegations being weaponised against political opponents.

Agricultural University Dismissals

At Bangladesh Agricultural University, authorities dismissed, suspended, or removed 12 academics and demoted or restricted the activities of another 34 following an internal investigation commission. The scale of action at a single institution underscores what observers describe as a systematic sweep rather than isolated disciplinary proceedings.

Transition That Changed the Target, Not the Culture

The report argues that the developments have placed Bangladesh's universities at the centre of a wider debate over whether the political transition following Hasina's removal has ended the culture of institutional control — or merely shifted which groups are subjected to it. Academics previously aligned with the Awami League now reportedly face exclusion and retaliation, suggesting the partisan environment has survived the change of government.

Notably, this mirrors a long-standing pattern in Bangladesh's public institutions, where shifts in political power have historically triggered purges of those associated with the outgoing administration. What critics argue is new is the involvement of internationally scrutinised academic bodies and the documented discrepancy between allegations and evidence.

Consequences for Students

Beyond faculty, students associated with the previous government's support base are also reportedly affected. The withholding of examination certificates and restrictions on campus access, the report warns, carry consequences that extend well beyond any immediate political dispute — students risk losing opportunities to complete their education, seek employment, or pursue further academic qualifications. These are compounding harms that cannot easily be undone once political storms pass.

What Comes Next

Human rights organisations and academic freedom watchdogs are reportedly monitoring the situation closely. Whether the BNP government responds to international scrutiny by reviewing ongoing proceedings — or whether the purge deepens — is likely to shape Bangladesh's international reputation and its universities' ability to function as independent institutions in the months ahead.