Madrasa Principal Forced to Resign Over Dance-Video Scandal Amid Student Protests

Local Correspondent

The principal of Jhenaidah’s Kaliganj Shoaib Nagar Kamil Madrasa, Nurul Huda, was forced to resign after a video of trainees dancing and singing in the madrasa’s ICT lab went viral on social media. The incident, which occurred on January 24, sparked outrage among students, who protested and demanded the principal’s resignation, allegedly incited by a coordinator of an anti-discrimination student movement.

On Sunday, January 26, students locked the madrasa gates and staged a protest, eventually confining Principal Nurul Huda to his office and forcing him to sign a resignation letter. The protest continued until 2 PM, when the principal succumbed to the pressure and resigned.

The ICT lab of the madrasa was being used by the Kaliganj Upazila ICT Office to provide computer training to students from various educational institutions. On January 24, a holiday, the trainees held a picnic after their class and later organized a dance and music session, which was recorded and shared on social media. The video quickly went viral, angering the madrasa students, who felt it violated the sanctity of their religious institution.

Hussain Ahmed, a coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, claimed that the students locked the madrasa gates and ensured the principal’s resignation. A student, Imran Hossain, stated that such activities in a religious institution hurt Islamic sentiments and that the principal could not avoid responsibility for the incident.

Principal Nurul Huda, however, denied any involvement, stating that the madrasa was closed on the day of the incident, and he was not present. He claimed that the trainers conducted the session without his permission, using keys obtained from a peon. He expressed his innocence but said he was forced to resign under pressure.

Kaliganj Upazila Executive Officer Dedarul Islam stated that the matter would be investigated, and necessary actions would be taken. He also noted that the principal’s resignation was obtained in an irregular manner, which is not acceptable under government rules. The incident has raised concerns about the management and oversight of activities in religious educational institutions.