Hindu student in Dhaka, suspended for ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad, goes missing

A Hindu student Tithy Sarkar, convenor of World Hindu Struggle Council, went missing after she allegedly made derogatory remarks against Islam and Prophet Muhammad in Dhaka. She was earlier suspended from her university on October 23 for hurting religious sentiments.

Tithi Sarkar is a student of Zoology department of the University, is also the convenor of World Hindu Struggle Council, JnU unit and office secretary of Students Protection Council, JnU unit.

According to reports, she was on her way to the police station and then, was going to go visit a Durga Puja Mandap. Ever since then, she has been missing, Dhaka Tribune quoted her parents as saying. They have also claimed that since she went missing, her phone has also been switched off and she is completely untraceable.

The allegedly blasphemous post criticising Islam and Prophet Muhammad had gone viral on social media. Following social media outrage, she was issued a temporary suspension order for 10 days and was asked to explain reasons for not expelling her permanently. “Jagannath University student of Zoology (3rd year), Tithy Sarkar, with roll B- 170604057, mocked Prophet Muhammad on social media platform Facebook and thereby hurt religious sentiments. As per University laws, 2005 wef Section 11 (10), you are suspended from the university until further notice. You should explain within 10 days as to why you should not be permanently expelled,” the suspension order read.

JnU registrar Wahiduzzaman informed, “A four-member committee led by Prof AKM Moniruzzaman, dean of business studies faculty and also a syndicate member of the university, was formed the same day to investigate the matter.” Tithy was also dropped from her the post of officer secretary of the JnU unit of Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad.

Girl goes missing, after filing police complaint about hacked FB account
As per reports, Tithy lived in a mess near the JnU premises but had been residing at Utta Kalshi of Pallabi, following the Coronavirus pandemic. She went to the Pallabi police station on Sunday morning and was then supposed to visit the nearby Durga Puja mandap, but did not return home since then. Kazi Wazed Ali, the station-in-charge, informed that the search for Tithy was underway and added that the girl had come to the police station on Sunday to file a complaint about her Facebook account being hacked.

She had made it clear to the police that the objectionable comments were made by an unidentified hacker using her account. The girl has been untraceable for the past 6 days. A complaint was filed by Smriti Rani Sarker, the sister of Tithy, with the Pallabi police station.

Following her going missing, some activists from Bangladesh have also raised questions about her whereabouts.

SI Tariur Rahman Shuvo informed, “We went to Tithy’s house on October 24 to give her GD-related information that she filed on October 23, claiming her Facebook account was hacked. We have already informed the higher authorities about the situation.”

Meanwhile, Smriti informed that her father’s health had become worse and had to be hospitalised. “We do not blame anyone behind my sister’s missing. We are requesting the government and the authorities concerned for my sister’s safe return,” she stated.