A case has come to light from Bangladesh regarding Hijab. It is mandatory for non-Muslim girls studying at Ad-Dwin Sakina Medical College in Jessore to wear hijab. It is not like this from today but it has been going on for a long time.
Bangladesh Supreme Court on 4 October 2010 ruled not to compel any person in Bangladesh to wear religious clothes against their will. Even after this, this Ad-Dwin Sakina Medical College of Akiz Group of Bangladesh has been disobeying this order. The college management has made hijab mandatory as a dress code. Even today girl students of all creeds of Girls College are being forced to wear hijab as a dress code. It was told that at the time of admission of girl students, the college administration takes consent in this regard from them and if non-Muslim girls refuse to wear hijab, then they are being prevented from taking admission for various reasons. A doctor from the college told about this that it should be seen as the “dress code” of the college, not the hijab. A Hindu student of a medical college claimed that she too has to wear hijab to the campus like Muslim girl students. He told us that we had to sign to accept the condition at the time of admission. We don’t have the option to protest even if we want to.” He was expelled for a year.
In this regard, Administrative Officer Subrata Basak says that this rule is applicable since the establishment of the college in 2011 due to institutional decisions. On the question of making such an order even after the decision of the court, he disconnected the phone without answering. Efforts were also made to contact Sheikh Mohiuddin, the founder of the medical college, but he could not be contacted. Another owner of the medical college, Jaisore-1 MP Sheikh Afiluddin, also did not respond to queries when contacted. In this regard, the college’s doctor Salahuddin Khan claimed, “This is the dress code of the college. Calling it a hijab would not be correct. All the people of other religions are following this dress code. Nobody objected.”
In this regard, Director (Medical Education) of Health Education Department, Prof. Dr. AKM Ahsan Habib said, “The matter is very sensitive. We have not received any written complaint in this regard. We will take the matter seriously and action will be taken against the guilty if such allegations are found to be true.”
It is noteworthy that on 22 August 2010, two lawyers filed a petition in the Bangladesh Supreme Court on the incident of forcibly wearing a burqa in an educational institution in Bangladesh. On this the court had said that “no one can be forced to wear any religious dress in a secular country”. All people have the right to practice their religion.
(courtesy syndicate feed)