A controversial question about Sheikh Hasina’s alleged escape and seeking asylum in India has sparked criticism in a recent political science exam at Kolkata University.
A question about the alleged escape of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her seeking asylum in India has raised eyebrows in the political science exam for the fifth-semester students at Kolkata University. The question, part of a topic on “India’s Foreign Policy in the World,” asked: “Which neighboring country’s president seeks political asylum in India in 2024?”
The question has faced backlash from both students and scholars. Former Vice-Chancellor and political scientist Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury pointed out that the question was fundamentally wrong. He clarified that Bangladesh’s president is President Mohammad Shahabuddin, while Sheikh Hasina is the head of government. He further emphasized that India has not granted political asylum to Hasina, and framing such a question could confuse students. He questioned whether this mistake was unintentional or a deliberate attempt to test students’ knowledge in a misleading manner.
Professor Samir Kumar Das, from the Department of Political Science, called the question a general knowledge query, but he expressed discomfort with the mention of “political asylum.” He suggested that if political asylum was indeed part of the question, it should have been consistent with diplomatic discourse.
Liberty News’ international correspondent states that a member of the university’s UG Board shared that faculty members are discussing the matter, but no formal written complaint had been submitted yet. He added that three sets of questions are typically prepared for exams, and had the issue been raised earlier, it could have been addressed in a meeting for further clarification.
LND/BAIZID
