RU teacher's Facebook post calling Begum Rokeya 'Murtad' and 'Kafir' sparks outrage

A Rajshahi University academic has triggered widespread condemnation after referring to women's rights pioneer Begum Rokeya as a "murtad" (apostate) and "kafir" (non-believer) in a Facebook post.

Khandaker Muhammad Mahmudul Hasan, an associate professor in the university's Department of Physics, wrote from his personal account: "Today is the birthday of murtad kafir Begum Rokeya."

Speaking to TBS, he said he had shared a post by a Facebook user named Sajid Hasan, adding his own caption. According to him, reading Sajid Hasan's post made him feel that "Begum Rokeya was anti-Islam".

"If you read Sajid Hasan's full post, you'll see that identity appears," he said.

When asked why he used such terms, Hasan replied that the matter needed to be verified by senior Islamic scholars. "You won't understand. Only if you go to an Alem will you understand whether she was a kafir or a murtad."

Asked whether he had read any other works by Begum Rokeya, he claimed he had read her novels.

Sajid Hasan's post contained selectively extracted lines on religion from Rokeya's writings.

When asked, Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Saleh Hasan Naqib said the remarks were the teacher's "personal opinion".

"This will not be acceptable to many people. I personally do not endorse it," he said.

Rajshahi University Chhatra Union Secretary Paroma Mostafa strongly criticised the comments, describing Begum Rokeya as "one of the foremost pioneers of women's education and humanist values in the subcontinent."

"She was never anti-religion; rather, she fought against superstition, discrimination, and ignorance – struggles that are supported by Islam and all religions," she said.

"Using religious slurs against any individual is not only disrespectful but also unjust. Disagreement or progressive thinking should be met with reasoned debate, not insults."

She added that attempts to demean Rokeya on her birthday "can't diminish her extraordinary contributions; it only exposes our own narrow-mindedness. The torch she lit for women's education, liberation and social reform continues to guide us, and respecting her is our moral duty."

Rajshahi district unit Mahila Dal General Secretary Syeda Rumena Hossain also condemned the post.

"Begum Rokeya was the trailblazer of our women's movement, a truly remarkable woman, our beacon of light. We strongly condemn such indecent and defamatory comments about her," she said.