Derogatory remarks made against Hindu deities by Muslim student of Dhaka University, Bangladesh
Dhaka, Dhaka District, Bangladesh 
20 March, 2025
Case Summary
At Dhaka University (DU), Bangladesh, derogatory comments and social media posts targeting Hindu deities and Hinduism were made by a Muslim student named Mohammad Abu Sayem. His remarks sparked outrage among Hindu students at the university. According to media reports, Mohammad Abu Sayem, a student from the Department of Bangla at Dhaka University, made disparaging comments about Hinduism. These remarks deeply hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community, both within the university and across Bangladesh, leading to protests by Hindu students. A group of Hindu students, under the banners of 'Hindu Students of Dhaka University' and the 'Bangladesh United Sanatani Awakening Alliance,' staged protests on campus against the offensive remarks. The protesters demanded the immediate suspension of the accused and called for exemplary punishment. They also urged the university to implement institutional measures to prevent the misinterpretation of Hinduism in classrooms. Some demonstrators expressed their frustration over the lack of respect for their religious values, questioning why no action was taken when minority religions were abused. They further demanded that university teachers refrain from misrepresenting Hinduism during literary analysis classes and called for action against derogatory posts targeting minorities on the university’s Facebook group named 'Dhaka Bissobiddaloy Shikkharthi Sangsad'. This incident reflects the deep-seated anti-Hindu bigotry and intolerance that persists in Bangladesh. Hatred for Hinduism and Hindu deities is not limited to derogatory comments; it also manifests in attacks on Hindu religious shrines. Hindu temples are regularly desecrated or vandalised, and such attacks on Hinduism have intensified since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on 5th August 2024. The country has since plunged into chaos, with Islamist extremists taking advantage of political instability to unleash violence against the Hindu community. Mobs have attacked Hindu homes, set them ablaze, and abducted women in a horrifying descent into anarchy. Several Hindu temples have been destroyed across the country as part of a major crackdown on the Hindu minority. Additionally, the arrest of Hindu priests has further exacerbated tensions, prompting widespread protests among Bangladesh’s Hindu population as they continue to seek justice.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Hate speech against Hindus. The sub-category selected under this is- Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. Mohammad Abu Sayem’s derogatory remarks about Hindu deities and Hinduism exemplify deep-rooted religious intolerance, deliberately targeting the sentiments of Hindu students at Dhaka University. His rhetoric, aimed at belittling Hindu faith and culture, is not only inflammatory but also indicative of a broader agenda of Islamic supremacy. Such remarks fuel hostility and contribute to a climate of religious hatred. This incident is a clear case of religiously motivated hate speech, reflecting his animosity towards Hindus and their beliefs. It is important to mention here that this incident is not an isolated case but part of a larger pattern of hostility that Muslims in Bangladesh continue to harbour against Hindus. The systematic denigration of Hindu beliefs, coupled with attacks on temples, homes, and individuals, highlights the deep-seated animosity that has only intensified in the wake of political turmoil. Such hate speech serves to normalise bigotry, further emboldening radical elements to target the Hindu community with impunity.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
