On January 10, 2026, student leaders from the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (CUCSU) forcibly escorted Hasan Mohammed Roman, a law professor, to the proctor’s office. The group targeted Roman in retaliation for his alleged association with the Awami League.

Roman was supervising an admission test when CUCSU members manhandled him and transported him to an administrative office via rickshaw. Video footage shows several students restraining Roman from behind. The students alleged that Roman held ties to the Awami League—the now-banned political party that governed Bangladesh until August 2024—and claimed he had filed legal cases against students participating in the July uprising. Roman denied the allegations. While the university administration stated it did not condone “mob justice,” officials confirmed that an investigation into Roman’s involvement was already underway at the time of the incident.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about students’ use of force against a professor. While students have a right to freedom of expression, the use of physical force directly undermines academic freedom. Students should respect university investigation mechanisms and due process rather than resorting to violence. Such incidents create a chilling effect on the academic community, threatening both institutional autonomy and the personal safety of scholars. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, such incidents undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/politics/cu-teacher-harassed-dragged-proctors-office-cucsu-leaders-1330961
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/mob-rule-has-no-place-campus-4078476 https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/3a8ea26799e5