Bangladesh: Police arrest former VC of Begum Rokeya University

Dhaka, Aug 7 Bangladeshi police on Thursday arrested Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, a former Vice Chancellor of Begum Rokeya University, in Rangpur district in connection with a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of the country, local media reported.

Confirming the development, Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (DC media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said that the Detective Branch team took the former VC into custody from his residence in the Mohammadpur area of the capital.

On June 18, the ACC registered a complaint against five individuals, including former VC Kalimullah, accusing them of embezzling funds allocated for the university's development work, Bangladesh’s leading Bengali daily Jugantor reported.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi activist B M Jahid Hasan took to his social media to strongly condemn the arrest of the former VC of Rokeya University and demanded the resignation of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

"We express deep concern and strong condemnation regarding the arrest of Nazmul Kalimullah, the former Vice-Chancellor of Rokeya University, a pioneer of the spirit of the Liberation War, and a social thinker. At a time when he was regularly providing constructive criticism of government policies on television talk shows as a force in favour of the Liberation War, his arrest at that very moment is undoubtedly a blatant interference by the government in the freedom of expression and an extreme insult to free thought," Hasan posted on X.

"A teacher is not merely confined to teaching; they are the conscience of the nation. Arresting an educator in this manner is not only inhumane but also a threat to the democratic practices of the country. We believe this incident is deliberate and a reflection of the government’s vindictive attitude," the post added.

Hasan demanded a proper investigation into this arrest and the immediate release of Kalimullah and called for the resignation of the Yunus-led interim government for this "undemocratic behaviour".

Analysts reckon the developments as a major political vendetta being pursued by the Yunus regime, as several cases were filed against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her supporters, and the working officials during her tenure on frivolous grounds immediately following her ouster in August 2024.

The unceremonious exit of Hasina last August was globally seen as a major setback to the democratic set-up in the country. The interim government continues to receive massive criticism for providing shelter to radical and extremist Islamic outfits.

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