Academic freedom rebounds after Hasina’s fall, but political grip persists

Academic freedom in Bangladesh has improved sharply since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024, but political interference, partisan appointments and campus violence continue to undermine university autonomy, a new international report says.

The Free to Think 2026 report by Scholars at Risk (SAR) shows Bangladesh’s academic freedom score rising from 0.13 in 2023 to 0.52 in 2025.

The improvement moved Bangladesh from the “completely restricted” category to “moderately restricted”, marking a significant shift following the July 2024 uprising that toppled Hasina’s government.

The report credits reforms introduced by the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, including efforts to remove political influence from university administrations.

Senior university officials appointed under Hasina were removed, while the University Grants Commission (UGC) underwent restructuring and leadership changes aimed at strengthening accountability.

Proposals to transform the UGC into a more powerful Higher Education Commission (HEC) also gained momentum.

The restructured UGC expanded its oversight of university budgets, curriculum approvals and investigations into financial and administrative irregularities.

But the report questions whether the changes ended political control over higher education.

It says many newly appointed university leaders appeared to have been selected for their allegiance to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), rather than their academic qualifications.

Political rivalries also continued to disrupt campuses as competing groups sought influence following Hasina’s fall.

On January 18, 2026, the University of Asia Pacific dismissed Professor A.S.M. Mohsin without due process after students accused him of links to the Awami League, according to the report.

In another incident, three Rajshahi University students were abducted and assaulted by unidentified attackers in November 2025. The assailants questioned them about alleged links to the Awami League’s student wing.

The findings suggest that while restrictions on academic freedom have eased, political affiliation remains a factor in university appointments and disciplinary actions.

Bangladesh’s experience comes amid a broader global challenge to academic freedom.

SAR documented 382 attacks on scholars, students and higher education institutions across 59 countries and territories between July 2025 and June 2026.

The organisation called on governments and university authorities to protect scholars and students from violence, safeguard institutional autonomy and ensure due process in disciplinary proceedings.

It also urged authorities to prevent political interference in university governance, warning that changes in political leadership alone do not guarantee academic freedom.

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