Two students in Bangladesh have been removed from university accommodation and face possible expulsion from their courses after allegations of homosexual activity.
Local media reports say the two young men, who resided at Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall at Dhaka University, were investigated by the university’s student authorities and subsequently removed from the facility.
Ahmed Al Sabah, general secretary of the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall Students’ Union, confirmed the action in a statement.
He said hall authorities had taken the strictest administrative action against the two residential students after an “allegation of serious social disciplinary misconduct was investigated and found to be substantiated”.
The university is conducting a further investigation to determine whether the pair should be expelled from their courses.
Local media have reported details about the students, but the individuals have not been identified in this article due to privacy and safety concerns.
It is the second reported case of a student at the university being investigated over allegations of homosexuality. On 30 July, a student from another residential facility at the same university was also removed from accommodation.
Homosexuality remains illegal in Bangladesh under Section 377 of the criminal code. The legislation stems from British colonial-era laws that were once common in countries including India, Singapore and many other former British territories.
Earlier this year, concern was raised about increasing human rights violations targeting LGBTIQA+ people in Bangladesh. Writing in 76 Crimes, a publication that tracks countries maintaining laws criminalising homosexuality, journalist Colin Stewart highlighted a study showing an increase in incidents.
Advocacy group JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) published a report following an extensive review of human rights violations in Bangladesh during 2025, drawing on documented incidents, field monitoring, media analysis and legal review.
The report documented a wide range of attacks on LGBTIQA+ people, including murder, assault, fabricated arrests and harassment.
