School teacher in fear of 'insulting religion' for not saluting | Kushtia
School teacher in fear of 'insulting religion' for not saluting | Kushtia
A school in Kushtia protested against a female teacher of Sanatan religion for not saluting the students. Later the police went and rescued the teacher. The school has been closed since Wednesday to deal with the situation.
The teacher denied the allegations. The school authorities and the local administration also say that a group is systematically creating unrest by leveling baseless charges of blasphemy against him. Provocative statements are also being circulated on Facebook. The teacher is spending days under house arrest in fear.
Students and outsiders protested for several hours last Wednesday, accusing the teacher of Damukdia Secondary School in Bheramara, Kushtia, of insulting Islam. Later the police went and rescued him.
Police said that the school authorities have informed to investigate and take action. And the headmaster of the school said that there will be a meeting of the management committee in this regard on Saturday afternoon. Actions will be taken there. Mominul Islam, head teacher of Damukdia Secondary School, told Daily Bangla, "The incident started last week. On that day, it was alleged that the teacher killed a student with a scale in the classroom.
That day, two female students were pelting stones in class VIII. At this time, a boy named Rahad was calling madam repeatedly from behind. Madam thought it was Rahad who was throwing stones. He beat him with a scale to discipline him. But later the boy told me that he did not throw stones.
The next day his parents came to school. We settle the matter. Madam realized her mistake and apologized. The parents did not make any further complaint about the matter. The head teacher said, "After that, school started as usual on Wednesday morning. After the end of the assembly at 10:20, the students went to class. After the class started, suddenly the students of class VIII, IX and X complained that the teacher insulted religion.
I later heard that the students of class VIII shared the subject with the students of class nine-ten. Students entered some external schools soon after the complaint started. They stood outside the class and complained that the teacher insulted religion.
The headmaster also said, 'First five-seven outsiders come to the school. They may be elder brothers or natives of these students. At one point they were expelled from school. After some time they came back to the school with about 50 people. Then the students joined them and started the protest.
The headmaster said there was a lot of inconsistency in the statements of the protestors about when or how the accused teacher insulted religion.
He said, "Someone says madam has taunted about religion a long time ago. Some say 15 days ago, some say during fasting. But no one can say anything for sure. We believe the issue was spread after a student was injured with a scale.
We asked the teacher about it. He said that at various times the students greeted him and laughed and mocked him. But he never insulted religion. After the protest started, the school authorities informed the local administration to handle the situation.
Head teacher Mominul Islam told Dainik Bangla, "I inform UNO, managing committee member, upazila secondary education officer. After that, the police came and took the teacher from the school under security. The protesters also attacked the headmaster's house. Mominul Islam said, 'My house is next to the school. The police came and dispersed the children. Then they also attacked my house. Throwing bricks.
He said, 'After the incident, the school has been closed on the orders of the upazila administration, education officer and school management committee. All other decisions will be taken at the school management committee meeting on Saturday at 4 pm. It will be discussed whether the school will open on Sunday or not, whether an investigation committee will be formed against that teacher.
Dainik Bangla also talked to the students about the matter. Class 10 student Rahul Islam complained, '15-20 days ago, madam was coming in front of our class. I salute madam. He said, "Don't give salam to me, give it to someone else."
When asked whether any complaint was made to the headmaster in this regard, Rahul said, "I did not inform the headmaster." A few days later, I heard that even in class eight, madam said the same thing. So we think of protesting it together.
Class IX student Sohan complains, 'I greet madam two months before class. He did not salute. He claims to have informed the headmaster in this regard. However, the head teacher said, "Why have I not received such a complaint?"
The female teacher is in fear since the incident. He told Dainik Bangla, 'I have no dispute with anyone. I did not misbehave with anyone. Accidentally hit a student due to stone pelting in class. It was my fault. However, it was resolved by talking to his parents. I apologize. However, tension has been created by accusing him of speaking anti-Islam.
He said, "When the students greet me, I always reply. But some students saluted sarcastically. I said, you don't have to salute like this. It was six-seven months ago. But I did not say anything insulting to religion.
Narrating the incident after the rescue from the school, he said, "The administration brought me to the police station with security." Return home later at night. I'm in a panic. This kind of conspiracy can happen again.
Amjad Hossain, president of the school's managing committee, told Daily Bangla, "This incident is a conspiracy. It was done out of anger towards madam. Do them out of personal grudges with him