Bangladesh: Dhaka University canteen leaseholder fired for serving beef to Hindu students, hurting religious sentiments

Dhaka: A canteen leaseholder at Bangladesh's prestigious Dhaka University has been fired for serving beef to Hindu students and hurting their religious sentiments, a media report said on Thursday.

The university has formed a committee to investigate the incident. The committee has been asked to submit a report within a week.

Zakir Hossain, a class-four employee who became the leaseholder of Faculty of Fine Arts canteen, was expelled on Sunday for 'creating disorder' on 'Pahela Baishakh' when thousands of students gathered on the campus to celebrate the Bangla New Year.

The students of the faculty said beef was never allowed in their canteen considering the fact that it is 'forbidden' for Hindus.

"He was running the canteen without permission (from the authorities)," Acting Proctor Amzad Ali was quoted as saying by bdnews24.

The students ordered Tehari for breakfast after working overnight to prepare for the 'Mangal Shobhajatra' procession.

Zakir admitted to making the Tehari with beef, but alleged that Bangladesh Chhatra League leader 'Sohag' and his associates in the Pahela Baishakh Celebration Committee 'intentionally' ordered the beef Tehari and fed it to their Hindu 'co-students', the report said.

Zakir said they did so because he did not agree to their demand to pay extortion money.