DHAKA:A controversial directive issued by Bangladesh’s Education Ministry, requiring officials to report institutions and students involved in anti-government activities, was retracted on Wednesday after facing backlash. The order had sparked concerns of undermining the student-led revolution of 2024, which led to the fall of long-standing leader Sheikh Hasina and the establishment of an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
The order, signed by Abed Nomani, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation for Secondary Education, was issued on January 2 and gained significant attention after circulating on social media and in news outlets. In response, Education Minister Wahiduddin Mahmud stated that he was unaware of the directive and confirmed its cancellation. He also emphasized that the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education had not been instructed to release the notification, and an investigation into the matter would be conducted.
The order had instructed officials to remain vigilant and prevent students from participating in “provocative actions” against the government, though it did not define these actions explicitly. It also mandated officials to report any educational institution or student involved in such activities, allowing the government to take necessary action.
Legal expert Snehadri Chakravarty condemned the order, stating that it violated constitutional rights. He pointed out the irony of a government that had been toppled by a student-led protest now potentially curbing those same rights. He argued that the order contradicted the spirit of the uprising, which had resulted in many lives lost in the fight for freedom of expression.
The retraction of the order has raised questions about the ongoing tension between the government and the public’s demand for greater civil liberties.
