Mubashar Hasan

Mubashar Hasan (; ''pseudonym'': Caesar), is a Bangladeshi researcher, political scientist, and assistant professor of Political Science at North South University in Dhaka. He is known for his research on democracy, political Islam, terrorism, and the rise of violent religious extremism in Bangladesh. He was one of many victims of enforced disappearance in Bangladesh under the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League government.

Early life and education

Hasan's father is Motahar Hossain. He completed his Bachelor of Social Sciences in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Dhaka. He then earned an MSc in Politics from the University of Dundee and a Master of Letters from the Al-Maktoum Institute of Islamic and Arabic Studies at Aberdeen University. He later completed his PhD at the School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University.

Career

Before entering academia, Hasan worked as a journalist and media campaign strategist for Oxfam in both Bangladesh and Pakistan. He also consulted for the Government of Bangladesh's Access to Information (a2i) project. He founded Alochonaa.com, an interactive blog promoting multiculturalism and critical dialogue about politics and society in Bangladesh.

In 2016, Hasan said ethical journalism and credible news sourcing are essential for democracy, especially amid increasing political intolerance and media suppression in Bangladesh. He was an assistant professor of the Media Studies and Journalism Department of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh.

Abduction and release

In September 2017, Hasan was invited by the United States Department of State to speak at a seminar on terrorism in the United States.

On 7 November 2017, Hasan went missing in Dhaka after attending a meeting at the United Nations Development Programme office. His disappearance sparked international concern, particularly due to his research into Islamic militancy. He had previously expressed concern about his safety after a suspicious individual visited his home in October 2017.

Hasan was abducted while riding in an Uber taxi and was later forced into a van by unidentified men. He was held in captivity for 44 days before being released in the early hours of 20 December 2017. He was blindfolded and dropped on a highway, and later recounted being threatened with death and robbed while in captivity. Upon his release, he was told: “If you look back, we will kill you.” Hasan's abduction was widely condemned by academics and human rights organizations, including Front Line Defenders, which linked the incident to his academic work and human rights advocacy. Robayet Ferdous, Gitiara Nasreen, Zahid Newaz Khan, Shafiqul Alam, Shariful Hasan, and Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik had called for his immediate return.

Hasan is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages of the University of Oslo in Norway. He is a director of the director of the Sydney Policy and Analysis Centre. He is an adjunct research fellow at the Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative at the University of Western Sydney.

Bibliography

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References

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Living people
Bangladeshi political scientists
Bangladeshi human rights activists
Griffith University alumni
Alumni of the University of Dundee
Alumni of the University of Aberdeen
University of Dhaka alumni
Academic staff of the North South University
Bangladeshi journalists
Academic staff of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
21st-century Bangladeshi scholars