At least 2,051 students, teachers, and academics across 229 higher education institutions in Bangladesh have faced alleged politically motivated persecution, according to a report released by the Paris-based human rights organisation JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF).
The findings, documented between August 2024 and October 2026, suggest a pattern of targeting individuals based on their political affiliations with the Bangladesh Awami League and its affiliated organisations.
Academic and professional targeting
The JMBF report identifies 1,569 students and 482 teachers and academics as verified victims.
Students faced various forms of exclusion that hindered their ability to study. The report states that 575 students experienced informal academic exclusion, while 219 were denied access to residential halls or hostels. 576 students were reportedly affected by incidents involving mobs or unidentified attackers.
The scale of detentions concerns the rights group. According to JMBF, over 10,000 students and former students with ties to the Awami League were reportedly taken into police custody or arrested.
The group estimated that more than 100,000 students and former students with actual, alleged, or imputed links to the Bangladesh Chhatra League may have faced politically motivated persecution or serious interference with their education. These broader figures are estimates and not independently verified national totals, the report clarified.
Teachers and academics faced professional and physical repercussions.
| Type of Persecution | Number of Teachers/Academics |
|---|---|
| Academic boycotts or professional exclusion | 132 |
| Criminal cases or prosecution | 121 |
| Inquiries or investigations | 107 |
| Physical assaults | 86 |
| Dismissals from positions | 24 |
Threats to academic freedom
JMBF Founder President Advocate Shahanur Islam warned that universities must remain environments for critical thinking rather than tools for political retaliation. “No student should lose the right to education because of political identity, and no teacher should lose their livelihood for holding a different political opinion,” Islam said, according to Republicworld.
The report argues that political affiliation alone is insufficient grounds for disciplinary or criminal action. It maintains that any institutional sanctions must be supported by credible evidence and follow fair, transparent procedures.
Beyond political identity, the organisation documented allegations of discrimination based on sexual orientation. These cases reportedly involved privacy violations, coercive questioning, humiliation, and institutional punishment.
Demands for international scrutiny
The JMBF has called on the Bangladesh government, university administrations, and law enforcement agencies to end the use of intimidation and violence within the education sector. The group is demanding the establishment of independent mechanisms to review contested expulsions, dismissals, and suspensions.
The organisation also urged authorities to investigate allegations of mob violence, unlawful detention, and abuses by law enforcement personnel. It seeks the restoration of educational and professional opportunities for those who were unjustly restricted, alongside appropriate remedies and compensation.
The report concludes by calling for the United Nations Human Rights Council, UNESCO, the European Union, and other international human rights bodies to examine these findings and implement protective measures. JMBF warned that the alleged environment of fear threatens the long-term credibility and independence of Bangladesh’s higher education system.
