Quran desecration: Court sends Apurba to jail, NSU expels him permanently

A Dhaka court on Sunday, October 5, sent North South University (NSU) student Apurba Pal to jail in a case filed under Section 295A of the Penal Code for allegedly “hurting religious sentiments” by desecrating the Quran, hours after he was beaten by a mob outside his residence in the capital’s Bashundhara area.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Saifuzzaman issued the order in the afternoon after police produced Apurba before the court and sought his detention. 

Sub-Inspector Md Chand Ali, the investigating officer, stated in his petition that both evidence and witness statements confirmed the student’s involvement in “throwing a copy of the Quran to the floor and trampling it.” 

He added that the accused had admitted to the act during preliminary interrogation.

Police argued that Apurba’s release on bail might lead to his absconding, and said remand might be sought later if further questioning is required. Following the hearing, the court ordered his transfer to jail custody.

Earlier that day, Vatara Police arrested Apurba after his social media posts from the ID Apurba Rad went viral showing him disrespecting the Quran. The viral footage sparked public outrage and calls for his arrest, leading to a crowd gathering outside his home around 1am.

When police attempted to take him into custody, the mob turned violent and assaulted him. 

Additional police personnel were called in, and police managed to extract him from the crowd around 2:45am. 

He was later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment, though the extent of his injuries remains unclear.

Vatara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rakibul Hasan said the case was filed under Section 295A, which provides for up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both for acts deliberately intended to outrage religious feelings. 

“We found evidence in several videos on his Facebook profile showing disrespect to the Quran,” Rakibul said. “However, when we went to detain him, we faced strong resistance from the crowd.”

Expulsion from North South University

Hours after his arrest, North South University announced that it had permanently expelled Apurba Pal for insulting the Holy Quran. The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the university’s disciplinary committee on Sunday afternoon, according to a press release signed by Syed Mansur Hashim, Director of the NSU Public Relations Department.

The university said the incident took place on campus on Saturday, when witnesses reportedly saw Apurba desecrate a copy of the Quran. The NSU proctorial body and security officials intervened to control the situation. “At that time, general students showed admirable patience and maintained an environment of harmony, camaraderie and coexistence,” the statement said.

The disciplinary committee decided to permanently expel Apurba and also resolved that the university administration would file a separate case over the incident.

Apurba, a student of the Department of Media, Communication and Journalism, had previously been temporarily expelled for disciplinary violations. 

A teacher from the department said he was originally admitted to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, later switching to journalism after becoming irregular in his studies. “He displayed several signs of a disturbed mental state, was often absent from class, and his behaviour was abnormal,” the teacher said.

Teacher’s remarks on mental health and conversion

NSU faculty member Asif Bin Ali said in a Facebook post that Apurba had converted to Islam in late 2023 and changed his name after doing so. “He was my student. Towards the end of 2023, he converted to Islam and began practising the religion,” Asif wrote.

He added that Apurba had been struggling with drug addiction and mental health issues, leading to his expulsion in 2024. Although he was later allowed to resume his studies, his condition reportedly did not improve. 

“This incident is not part of any organised conspiracy,” Asif said. “It is the act of someone facing severe mental health challenges. What he needs now is rehabilitation, not punishment.”

As the case proceeds, Apurbo remains in jail, facing potential prosecution under Bangladesh’s laws on religious insult — while questions grow about whether his alleged actions stemmed from deliberate intent or from deeper psychological distress.