Finland's Aalto University Cancels Hall Booking for Event Sheikh Hasina Was Due to Join

Authorities at Finland's Aalto University have cancelled the booking of a hall allocated for an Awami League event. Objections were raised because ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was due to take part virtually as chief guest.

The event was scheduled for Monday (2 November). A room at the Aalto University School of Business had been allocated for the event, titled 'Bangladesh at a Turning Point: Democracy, Human Rights and Extremism'. The university authorities cancelled the booking, according to the Daily Wada news outlet.

According to the report, Ahad Sikder, convener of the Finland branch of the National Citizen Party (NCP), emailed the university's professors, dean and relevant officials asking for the event to be reviewed and cancelled. He raised concerns over allegations of human rights violations in Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina's participation.

Mirka Elovaara, the account manager responsible for venue bookings at the university, informed Ahad Sikder by email that the room booking had been cancelled. Daily Wada also obtained copies of the emails exchanged with the university.

At the same time, several Finnish public representatives named on the event's publicity leaflet denied that they were taking part. Helsinki city councillor Elina Kauppila said she had declined the invitation to attend several weeks earlier, but was surprised to later see her name on the leaflet.

In a statement on Instagram, Kauppila said many people had assumed she would be seen taking part because of Sheikh Hasina's virtual presence. She said she is not taking part and never planned to do so, and that she has contacted the organisers demanding her name be removed from the leaflet.

Similarly, Vantaa city councillor Soli Eriksson said in an email to Ahad Sikder that he had never consented to speak at the event. He wrote that he will not take part and does not support it, and strongly condemned the organisers' actions.

Shekhar Acharya, also named on the leaflet, said several people in Finland had been invited to attend but later decided to withdraw. In an email obtained by Daily Wada, Acharya said they had initially agreed to attend out of interest in learning about Bangladesh's democracy and human rights situation, but changed their decision after learning details of the speaker list and the event's structure. Their intention had been only to be present as audience members.

Acharya also noted that it is important for Finland's elected representatives and members of the Social Democratic Party to maintain political neutrality on international political matters.