University Official Threatened with Physical Violence by Student Union Leader

A senior academic at Rajshahi University (RU) has been subjected to threats of physical assault by a high-ranking member of the university’s wing of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (BJCD). The incident involves Dr Amirul Islam Kanak, the Student Adviser of the university, and Shariful Islam, the Vice-President of the RU BJCD unit. The dispute, which manifested on social media on Friday, 24 April 2026, has provoked widespread condemnation across the campus.

Shariful Islam, a student from the 2013-14 academic session in the Department of Anthropology and a native of Bogura district, posted a comment on Dr Kanak’s Facebook profile stating: “Remain as a teacher should; otherwise, you will be struck across the ear.” This remark followed a heated exchange regarding the current administration’s performance and historical grievances.

Origin of the Confrontation

The altercation began when Dr Kanak published a post reflecting on the socio-political climate following the 2024 uprising. He wrote: “Fifteen hundred lives were lost and thirty thousand were injured to free us from the ‘vultures’. Yet, no one has a plan for building a life. Instead, we see the infighting of ‘dogs’ and ‘vultures’.”

In response, Shariful Islam questioned the efficacy of the university administration during recent periods of unrest, asking: “What were you doing while sitting in the administration when ‘mobs’ were occurring one after another at the university?”

The exchange escalated when Dr Kanak retorted: “I am feeding grass to sheep like you.” This prompted the final threatening remark from the student leader, which eventually went viral after screenshots were circulated amongst the university community.

Campus Reaction and Student Protest

The threat against a senior faculty member has ignited a “storm of criticism” within the Rajshahi University campus. Students and various student organisations have expressed their outrage, arguing that such public intimidation of a teacher by a student is a reprehensible violation of academic decorum.

Imran Laskar, the Debate and Literature Secretary of the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RAKSU), defended Dr Kanak, describing him as a “progressive figure of the July uprising” who has consistently stood against injustice. He characterised the public threat as “deeply regrettable.”

Furthermore, the Bangladesh Student Federation, RU branch, issued a formal statement condemning the “audacious” behaviour of the BJCD leader. They have called upon the university administration to launch a thorough investigation and ensure “exemplary punishment” for the accused.

Statements from the Involved Parties

Dr Amirul Islam Kanak expressed his disappointment regarding the incident, noting that he had hoped for a more stable and studious environment following the events of 2024.

“I posted that out of a sense of personal grief. It is tragic that many students are engaging in unnecessary conflict instead of focusing on their careers. His comment felt indecent to me. In the heat of the moment, I responded to his offensive remarks, but as it looked poor on social media, I eventually disabled the comments section. I have told him to restrain his language and intend to inform senior faculty members of the matter.”

Conversely, Shariful Islam alleged that his animosity towards Dr Kanak is rooted in past grievances. He claimed that during his time as a regular student, he was tortured by members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in room 237 of the then Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall (now renamed Bijoy-24), allegedly with the incitement of Dr Kanak. He maintained that his comment was a reaction to being compared to a “sheep.”

Dr Kanak has categorically dismissed these allegations of torture as “complete falsehoods,” stating that he was hearing such an accusation for the first time. He expressed concern regarding the “mental state” of the student leader in light of these claims. As of Saturday, the university administration has not issued a formal directive regarding disciplinary proceedings.