Five Officials Dropped for Slogan Demanding Trial of ‘Killer Khaleda’

Five officials from the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) who previously chanted slogans labeling former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia a "murderer" have been dropped from the organizing committee of an upcoming event featuring Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The decision came following widespread criticism and controversy surrounding their initial inclusion in the committee.

The development was confirmed to The Daily Campus today, Saturday, by DSHE Director General Professor Dr. Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel. He stated that the previous committee structure was merely a draft and accidentally included the names of several controversial individuals. He noted that all controversial officials have now been completely removed from the finalized list of the organizing committee.

High-Profile Event Attended by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman

The targeted organizing committee was formed to manage the national-level "Startup, Science Project, and Innovation Idea Showcasing" competition. The event is being organized under the Educational Excellence Support Scheme (EESS), implemented by DSHE under the Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP) across district, upazila, and national tiers.

The national-level grand finale of the event is scheduled to take place on June 28 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (formerly known as the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center) in Agargaon, Dhaka. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to grace the ceremony as the chief guest.

Background of the Controversial August 4 Slogans

According to institutional sources, the controversy stems from an incident on August 4, 2024, during the peak of the July Uprising. A group of Awami League-aligned officials held a march at the main gate of the DSHE building. Following the rally, the participants gathered at the entrance and actively chanted slogans demanding the trial of "murderer Khaleda."

Sources confirmed that five education cadre officials who actively participated in that demonstration were initially assigned to key sub-committees tasked with executing the Prime Minister's upcoming program.

Identities and Institutional Roles of the Dropped Officials

According to official data, the five dropped education cadre officers and their initially assigned roles include:

• Md. Jahangir Alam, Assistant Director of the DSHE Budget Branch (Finance and Procurement Wing). He was assigned to the food and hospitality sub-committee, the participant coordination and rehearsal sub-committee, and the event management sub-committee.

• Md. Aminul Islam, Research Officer of the PCU, SEDP Project. He was placed in the reception, accommodation, and transportation committee for national-level competitors.

• Tarikul Islam, Deputy Director of the Special Education Branch. He was tasked with the teacher-student winner list compilation and prize distribution sub-committee, alongside reception duties.

• Md. Wahidur Rahman, Statistician of the PCU, SEDP Project. He was included in the media, publicity, and digital support sub-committee.

• Mahbuba Yasmin, Deputy Director of the SEDP Project. She was assigned to the national participant reception, accommodation, and transportation team.

Following intense backlash, the Ministry of Education intervening alongside DSHE wiped these controversial names from the final roster. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a lecturer from Dhaka College told The Daily Campus that authorities must investigate how individuals who insulted Begum Khaleda Zia were accommodated in the primary draft, urging a deeper inquiry to uncover if any alternative motives were at play.