University in Bangladesh allows cooking beef near temple:Students announce cow slaughter, administration reverses ban on event

Jagannath University in Bangladesh has clarified that students can organise events involving animal slaughter on campus, provided they do not disrupt the religious activities of others. The clarification came after a dispute over cooking beef khichdi near a temple escalated, prompting a group of Muslim students to announce a cow-slaughtering event in protest against an earlier university notice. The controversy began on October 12, when students from the 17th batch of the Department of Islamic History and Culture organised an event to cook beef khichdi near the university’s open-air stage, close to the central temple. Joy Saha, member secretary of the temple committee, told BBC Bangla that some Hindu students objected after learning that beef was being cooked near the temple. An argument broke out, and the university proctor intervened. The organisers subsequently moved the cooking site farther away from the temple. The organisers said they had no intention of hurting anyone’s religious sentiments. However, the incident triggered a protest march by Sanatani students that night, with the dispute subsequently spreading on social media. University issues notice against animal slaughter On October 14, the university administration issued a notice urging people to refrain from slaughtering animals on campus, citing public health, cleanliness and environmental concerns. It also referred to local regulations and Bangladesh’s Animal Slaughter and Meat Quality Control Act, 2011, which restricts slaughtering outside designated slaughterhouses. University Proctor Dr Md Azam Khan told BBC Bangla that the administration had received information about plans to slaughter animals on campus. The notice was intended to prevent further controversy during Durga Puja, he said. Students announce cow-slaughtering event in protest Following the notice, a group of Muslim students announced on Friday, October 16, that they would slaughter a cow and organise a feast in protest. A member of the organising committee told BBC Bangla, on condition of anonymity, that the students had initially planned to hold the event after Durga Puja. However, they brought it forward after the administration issued the notice. The organisers said a cow had been purchased using donations, while Bangladesh Chhatra Majlis had also offered to provide one. A registration fee of 70 taka was announced on social media for participants. The students said the event could be held in an open field near the Arts Building rather than in front of the temple. Administration clarifies position in second notice Following the students’ protest, the university issued a second notice clarifying that students had the right to organise campus events, including animal slaughter, as long as these did not interfere with others’ religious activities. The administration said the original dispute over cooking beef khichdi had been resolved through the proctor’s intervention on October 12, followed by discussions between the parties the next day. It explained that the earlier notice was intended to prevent religious tensions from escalating, while acknowledging that it had caused a misunderstanding and expressing regret. Abdul Alim Arif, general secretary of the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union, told BBC Bangla that representatives of the students’ union and the administration had met and agreed to allow the event. Temple committee raises no objection to event away from temple Joy Saha said the temple committee had no objection to cow slaughter on campus, provided it did not take place in front of the temple or disrupt its religious activities. Proctor Azam Khan also urged students to conduct the proposed event in a restrained manner to avoid further controversy over religious sentiments.