On November 13, students of Naogaon Medical College staged protests, boycotting classes and exams, to demand the removal of Dr. Kanta Roy Rimi, the newly appointed professor of the Anatomy Department. Video footage of the demonstrations was also circulated online.
Following the protests, a claim began circulating on social media, alleging that the students’ actions were motivated by Dr. Rimi’s Hindu identity.
On Facebook, posts promoting this claim can be seen here (Archive), here (Archive), here (Archive), here (Archive), and here (Archive).
On X (formerly Twitter), posts propagating this claim can be seen here (Archive) and here (Archive).
Fact Check
The Rumor Scanner team’s investigation revealed that students of Naogaon Medical College did not protest against Dr. Kanta Roy Rimi because of her Hindu faith. Instead, they staged protests citing allegations that she was affiliated with fascist forces, engaged in misconduct toward students, and was involved in corruption and irregularities. Consequently, the students boycotted classes and exams, demanding her removal.
In the investigation, a report published by mainstream online news outlet Dhaka Post on November 13, titled “Protests Demanding Removal of Newly Appointed Professor”, was found.
According to the report, students of Naogaon Medical College staged a protest against Dr. Kanta Roy Rimi, who had recently been appointed as a professor in the Anatomy Department. Students alleged that Dr. Rimi was a collaborator of fascist forces, often displayed rude behavior towards students, and was involved in various irregularities and corruption. During the protests, they chanted slogans demanding her removal.
To verify these claims, Rumor Scanner reached out to local journalists and Hindu students of Naogaon Medical College for further insights.
Mostafizur Rahman Parvez, the Naogaon representative of Desh Rupantor, clarified:
“I haven’t heard of any demands related to religion. From what I know, students protested due to her involvement in Awami League politics.”
Roman, the Naogaon correspondent for Dhaka Post, who was present during the protests, added:
“There were no religious demands from the students. Their protests were driven by her abusive behavior and her displays of power.”
Rumor Scanner also spoke with several students, including those from the Hindu community.
Prashmita Biswas, a Hindu student, dismissed the allegations related to religion, stating: “The claims about religion are completely baseless.”
Souvik Dhar Chowdhury, another Hindu student, corroborated this, saying: “No one demanded her removal over religious reasons. This narrative is entirely false.”
Conclusion
The claim that students of Naogaon Medical College demanded Dr. Kanta Roy Rimi’s removal because of her Hindu identity is entirely false. The protests were driven by allegations of authoritarian behavior, misconduct toward students, and corruption. Local journalists and Hindu students have categorically denied any link to religious discrimination.
Sources
- Dhaka Post – Protests Demanding Removal of Newly Appointed Professor
- Local Journalists’ Statements
- Statements from Naogaon Medical College Students
- Rumor Scanner’s Own Analysis
