Bobby Hajjaj Withdraws Statement on Dhaka University

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj has withdrawn his statement that ‘Dhaka University is a coaching center’ following widespread criticism.

He withdrew the statement in a Facebook post on Friday.

In his post, Bobby Hajjaj said parts of his remarks were misinterpreted and misrepresented. He stated that his comments reflected his personal opinion and did not, in any way, represent the official position or policy of the government.

He claimed that his intention was to highlight the need to transform Dhaka University into a more research-oriented and world-class institution. He added that he had no intention of undermining the university’s legacy, dignity, or contributions.

In the same Facebook post, he also made critical remarks about the country’s higher education sector. He said that research had not received adequate priority over the past 17 years and that political considerations had often taken precedence over academic excellence. He also raised questions about the transparency of teacher recruitment, promotions, and merit-based evaluation, while criticizing various unethical academic practices, including plagiarism.

Bobby Hajjaj further said that the podcast discussion in which he made the remarks was informal and spontaneous. He noted that it was not a research-based or policy-level discussion and added that his language and presentation would have been more structured in a formal setting.

He also expressed deep respect for Dhaka University’s history, tradition, and contribution to nation-building. At the same time, he reiterated his expectation that the university be developed into an international-standard center for research and knowledge.

The state minister said his partial remarks had caused misunderstanding and dissatisfaction, and had also hurt his well-wishers. For this reason, he fully withdrew his statement and expressed hope that there would be no further controversy or misunderstanding over the issue.