Abdul Bashir

Abdul Bashir is a Bangladeshi academic and former Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Dhaka.

Early life Bashir completed his bachelor's, master's, and PhD at the University of Dhaka.

Career As chairman of the Provost Standing Committee, Bashir played a key role in overseeing the phased reopening of the University of Dhaka's residential halls in October 2021, after a prolonged closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. In February 2022, as Provost of Bijoy Ekattor Hall at Dhaka University, Bashir oversaw disciplinary action against three members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League accused of bullying and mentally torturing a first-year student. Following an investigation by a hall-appointed probe committee, the students were suspended from the hall for six months. While serving as Provost of Bijoy Ekattor Hall at the University of Dhaka, he confirmed the formation of a probe committee following allegations of hazing and mental torture of a first-year student in the hall's guest room. According to the student's complaint, a group of senior students, reportedly affiliated with the Bangladesh Chhatra League, forced him to stare at a bright light for over ten minutes, causing him to lose consciousness and require hospitalisation.

In 2023, Bashir, then dean of the Faculty of Arts at Dhaka University, was involved in the controversy surrounding the cancellation of a discussion on the national curriculum planned by the Dhaka University Teachers Network. The event was abruptly canceled at the last moment by university authorities, with Bashir citing instructions from a “special place” and concerns over the discussion being anti-government. The discussion was subsequently relocated off-campus and followed by a protest rally. Despite the restriction, Bahauddin was cleared to participate, leading to allegations of procedural irregularities and administrative pressure. Demonstrators accused him of suppressing student activities, including a Quran recitation event during Ramadan, and criticized his leadership style as authoritarian. Some observers described the incident as emblematic of growing intolerance toward secular figures in the wake of political change.