West Bengal teacher wins fight against burqa

Sirin Middya, a 24-year-old teacher in West Bengal’s first Muslim University, who was not allowed to hold classes after she defied the students’ union diktat to wear a burqa, has finally won her battle following the intervention of a state minister.

Middya was assigned to library duty at the Aliah University on the insistence of the students’ union. They objected to her refusal to wear a burqa in the class, university sources said. The union had instructed eight teachers to wear a burqa in April.

The university authorities, at the intervention of Bengal minority affairs minister Abdus Sattar, have asked Middya to resume classes, but have not specified the date.

Vice-chancellor Syed Shamsul Alam, was urged to allow Sirin to resume teaching since the university had no dress code, university sources said. The students union has now said that the teacher could take classes if she is dressed “decently”.

“We have no objection to the teacher taking classes in a decent dress,” union leader Hasanur Zaman said.