14 October, 2026 – Dhaka:- GOLAM RABBI, a student of the Department of History at Jagannath University (JnU) in Bangladesh, has been accused of posting religiously hostile remarks and threatening Hindu students with “terrible consequences” on social media. The controversy emerged after a post circulated online from an account bearing his name and identifying him as a student of the university’s History Department. The post reportedly stated: “I would tell our Hindu brothers to embrace Islam while there is still time. We are inviting you to our religion. Otherwise, the consequences will be extremely terrible.” The alleged remarks have raised concerns among members of the Hindu community, who say that pressuring individuals to change their religion or threatening them for refusing to do so violates personal liberty, religious freedom and communal harmony. They have also expressed concern that such statements, if verified, could undermine students’ sense of security and disrupt the inclusive academic environment expected at a university. Article 41 of the Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees freedom of religion, subject to applicable constitutional limitations. In response to the controversy, concerned individuals have called on the university administration and law enforcement authorities to conduct a fair investigation and take appropriate action under university regulations and applicable law if the allegations are substantiated. They have also urged the authorities to strengthen protections for Hindu and other minority students and take effective measures against religious intimidation and hate speech on campus.
