Anti-India Slogans Raised After 'Beef Khichdi' Served Near Dhaka Temple

Anti-India slogans were raised after beef khichdi was served near a temple in Dhaka's Jagannath University, resulting in a major dispute over religious sensitivities, campus rules and the rights of students to organise events.

A group of Islamic history students has now announced plans to slaughter cows on the campus today, coinciding with Durga Puja. Earlier, the university officials had issued a notice asking students to refrain from animal slaughter on the premises, which was later overturned amidst threats from Islamic fundamentalists in the garb of students.

The university initially asked students to refrain from slaughtering animals on campus, citing public health and cleanliness. 

After objections from a group of students, it clarified that students had the right to organise such events, provided they did not interfere with others, but a group of students has since announced plans for a beef feast on Shashti, while representatives of the university's central temple say they have no objection to such an event as long as it does not take place in front of the temple or disrupt religious activities.

On Monday evening, students from the 17th batch of Jagannath University's Department of Islamic History and Culture organised a beef khichuri cookout near the campus's Muktamancha, and this was met with opposition from some Hindu students who objected to the location of the cooking arrangements, saying that preparing beef so close to the temple hurt their religious sentiments.

According to the university administration, this initial disagreement was resolved on the spot through the proctor's intervention at the campus, but now a group of students have announced plans for a beef feast on campus.

Organisers have collected contributions from students and even purchased a cow. Bangladesh Chhatra Majlish, the student wing of the far-right radical Islamist political party Khelafat Majlis, has agreed to provide a cow for slaughter.

The university administration has urged everyone on campus to maintain restraint and respect one another's activities.

Jagannath University is a government-financed, full-fledged public university and is situated in the southern part of the city of Dhaka near the Buriganga. This prestigious educational establishment has a history of about 156 years, which started in 1858 when Dhaka Brahma School was founded by Dinanath Sen, Prabhaticharan Roy, Anathbandhu Mallik and Brajasundar Kaitra.

The name Jagannath School was given by Kishorilal Chowdhury, the Zamindar of Baliadi, who took over the school in 1872 and renamed it after his father's name. The college was transformed into Jagannath University in 2005. At present, the University has 38 departments under 7 faculties and 2 institutes.