‘Beef Feast’ in protest against notice, cow bought for Tk 125,000

In protest against an administrative notice asking students to refrain from slaughtering animals on campus, a group of students at Jagannath University (JnU) slaughtered a cow and organised a feast on campus on Friday.

The cow was slaughtered on the road between the Vice-Chancellor's residence and the Mathematics Department as part of a pre-announced programme titled "JnU Students' Beef Feast".

According to the organisers, beef and khichuri will be distributed among students after midday.

Earlier, a controversy sparked over cooking beef khichuri near the Muktamancha on the campus. Following this, the university administration issued a notice advising against animal slaughter on campus. This drew outrage from some students.

Protesting the move, the Jagannath University Central Students' Union (JnUCSU) held demonstrations and rallies, eventually announcing the programme to slaughter a cow and hold a feast on Friday.

Notably, most members of JnUCSU's elected committee, including the Vice President (VP) and General Secretary (GS), are leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.

On Thursday, a cow was bought for Tk 125,000 for the feast. JnUCSU Assistant General Secretary (AGS) Masud Rana invited everyone to join the programme, adding that the cow was bought using student registration fees alongside donations from various individuals at home and abroad.

When the cow was brought to the campus on Thursday evening, organisers took out a celebratory procession, chanting slogans defending their right to consume beef and protesting the administration's decision.

Some students framed the initiative as a direct protest against the administration’s earlier notice.

When contacted, JnU Proctor (additional charge) Professor Azam Khan said, "We had issued the city corporation's notice regarding cattle slaughter in the form of a notification to maintain law and order. We will have no objection if the feast is organised in a proper and disciplined manner with the administration’s permission."

On the night of 12 October, students of the 2021–22 academic session from the Department of Islamic History and Culture arranged a beef khichuri feast near the Muktamancha on the campus to celebrate completing their undergraduate studies. The university's central temple is situated near that spot.

Several Hindu students raised objections to the cooking arrangement, alleging that preparing beef in front of the temple hurt their religious sentiments.

Allegations were also raised that bricks from the temple were used to build the makeshift cooking stove. Hindu students staged protests on campus over the incident.

However, the student organisers stated that their initial plan was to cook inside the university cafeteria. Due to low gas pressure, they opted for an earthen stove using firewood as an alternative. Upon learning that the bricks belonged to the temple, they removed them and brought iron stoves from the cafeteria. They also expressed regret for the unintentional mistake.

The university administration stated that the issue was resolved immediately through the proctor’s intervention, with further discussions held between the relevant parties the following day. However, after the incident surfaced on social media, it triggered intense debates and counter-allegations.

On 14 October, the university proctor's office issued a notice instructing everyone to refrain from slaughtering animals on the campus, citing the protection of public health, cleanliness and the maintenance of a hygienic environment. It warned that violating the instructions would invite action in line with Dhaka South City Corporation's public notice.

Following the notice, several students alleged that by issuing directives against animal slaughter, the administration had infringed upon their dietary choices and rights to cultural practices.

In protest against the notice, JnUCSU brought out a protest procession and held a rally on campus on Wednesday night. From the rally, they placed a four-point demands, including the withdrawal of the notice, a public apology, an investigation into the incident, the inclusion of beef and mutton in the cafeteria menu, and ensuring religious harmony on campus.

The JnUCSU leaders gave the administration a 24-hour ultimatum to issue an apology. They announced plans to slaughter a cow and hold a feast on Friday, setting a registration fee of Tk 70 for participating students.

Following criticism over the notice, the university administration clarified its position. In a statement issued through the Public Relations, Information and Publication Office, the JnU administration said everyone has the right to organise any event on campus, including animal slaughter.

However, all must remain mindful that no event causes disruption to the programmes or activities of others.

The statement added that the proctor had requested restraint regarding animal slaughter to prevent unwarranted tension and avoid deterioration of communal harmony in light of recent developments.

The administration expressed regret for the misunderstanding caused by the request.

Despite the administration’s explanation, JnUCSU proceeded with its announced "beef feast" programme.