NSU Responds to UGC Over Hochemin Islam’s Exclusion

North South University (NSU) formally responded to the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding the exclusion of transgender rights activist Hochemin Islam from participating in the Women’s Career Carnival 2023 held at the university. On 26 November 2023, the UGC had asked the university to explain the circumstances of the incident and the measures it would take to prevent similar incidents in the future. In response, NSU Registrar Dr Ahmed Tajmeen sent a written explanation to the Commission on 3 December. The letter presented the university’s account of the cancellation of Hochemin Islam’s scheduled session, the involvement of the event organisers, the opposition surrounding her participation, and the university’s position on preventing discrimination and threats of violence.

At the beginning of its response to the UGC, North South University stated that since its establishment in 1992, it had operated in accordance with the Constitution of Bangladesh, the Private University Act 2010 and other applicable regulations. According to the university, its educational activities place particular emphasis on Bengali nationalism, democracy, secularism, human rights, tolerance of differing views, inclusion, the elimination of discrimination, and respect for third-gender people. NSU also identified respectful treatment of disadvantaged and marginalised communities as part of its educational values. Against this institutional position, the university provided separate explanations addressing the two issues raised by the UGC.

Responding to the UGC’s question about why Hochemin Islam had not been allowed to participate in the event, NSU stated that Women’s Career Carnival 2023 was jointly organised on 24 and 25 November 2023 by Heroes for All and iSocial, with support from the university’s Career and Placement Center (CPC). According to the university, the event was intended to encourage women to develop leadership skills, overcome barriers in their professional lives and address gender discrimination. NSU stated that the CPC served as the host for the programme on campus and that a memorandum of understanding had been signed among the CPC, Heroes for All and iSocial for organising the event. The university specifically maintained that NSU had not directly communicated with any of the speakers. Instead, the two organising organisations were responsible for communicating with all speakers, including Hochemin Islam.

Explaining the circumstances that led to the cancellation of Hochemin Islam’s session, the university stated that negative reactions concerning her planned presence on the NSU campus began appearing on social media from 20 November. As those reactions continued, detailed discussions took place between the university’s Career and Placement Center and Heroes for All. Following those discussions, Hochemin Islam’s scheduled session was cancelled on 23 November. The university further disputed information circulated through news and social media on 24 and 25 November suggesting that her session had been cancelled because of student protests on campus on 24 November. According to NSU, the decision to cancel the session had already been made before the campus protest took place. However, the university’s own explanation confirms that the cancellation followed discussions with the organisers in the context of negative reactions that had developed around Hochemin Islam’s participation.

In response to the UGC’s second question regarding measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, NSU highlighted its existing activities and what it described as its commitment to an inclusive environment. The university stated that its 24 student clubs, along with centrally organised initiatives, regularly conduct cultural, intellectual and national-day programmes through which students are encouraged to engage with democracy, secularism, nationalism and the fundamental values of the Constitution. NSU also stated that its Ethics and Diversity Club organises annual programmes celebrating international cultures and diversity, in which members of the transgender community have participated. As an example, the university referred to the participation of transgender community representative Jaya Sikder in a discussion on women’s empowerment held at NSU on 18 October 2017. The university also cited its support for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals principle of leaving no one behind.

In its letter to the UGC, North South University outlined four specific commitments intended to prevent similar situations in the future. First, it said it would review its existing anti-discrimination policies, procedures and protocols and take necessary measures for improvement. Second, the university committed to reviewing and strictly implementing its existing policies concerning threats of violence. NSU stated that if any party threatened violence or committed an offence within the campus, appropriate disciplinary and legal action would be taken promptly. Third, it said it would strengthen education and training for students on anti-discrimination law and human rights, as well as mandatory training for faculty members, administrators and staff. Fourth, the university committed to continuing appropriate programmes on gender discrimination that would incorporate the perspectives of different minority communities.

NSU’s written explanation sought both to clarify the limits of the university’s direct role in the cancellation of Hochemin Islam’s session and to present its institutional position on anti-discrimination, human rights, inclusion and respect for transgender people. While the university rejected the claim that the 24 November campus protest directly caused the cancellation, it confirmed that the session was cancelled on 23 November following negative reactions surrounding Hochemin Islam’s participation and subsequent discussions between the Career and Placement Center and the organisers. The university also committed to reviewing anti-discrimination policies, strengthening responses to threats of violence, expanding human rights education and continuing programmes intended to include minority perspectives. The report, however, did not specify a timeline for implementing these commitments or indicate that Hochemin Islam’s cancelled session would be rescheduled.