Gazipur students stage demo protesting assault on teacher

Students of a secondary school in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur yesterday demonstrated on the school premises in relation to an alleged assault on their head teacher on Wednesday.

Students said they will boycott classes from today, demanding punishment for the attacker.   

Earlier on Saturday, the students of Dr Kamal Uddin High School boycotted their annual sports event halfway and went on the rampage, alleging that the younger brother of the school governing body president assaulted their teacher.

It all started when headteacher of the school, Mujibur Rahman, along with fellow teachers on Wednesday went to governing body president Mustafa Kamal Tushar's residence to show him the invitation card of the school's annual sports event to be started on Thursday.  

Seeing his name down on a list of guests in the card, Mustafa became furious at him, said Mujibur, adding that at one point, Mustafa's younger brother Mostaque Kamal Tuhin had slapped him in the face. 

Therefore, he did not attend the school's sports event on Thursday and Saturday, the headteacher said. 

The absence of headteacher remained unnoticed among the students on Thursday. But when he did not show up on Saturday, concluding day of the event, students came to know about the incident of assault, and became furious, said locals. Soon afterwards, they started vandalising, halting the event midway. Following that, students demonstrated on the school premises yesterday demanding justice.    

Asked, Mustafa, also Awami League president of ward-5 unit of Kaoraid union, said, “We talked about the mistake in the invitation card. But none slapped him [headteacher]. A vested quarter is trying to take advantage of the situation.”

Approached by this correspondent, teachers of the schools did not want to talk to the media as the attacker is related to the ruling party man.     

Contacted, Md Rafiqul Islam Mondol, chairman of Kaoraid union parisad, who was also scheduled to attend the sports event as a chief guest, said he skipped the event after coming to know that the headteacher was slapped.   

Sreepur Upazila Education Officer Atikur Rahman said he came to know about the incident and advised the headteacher to take legal action.

Mohammed Abdul Awal, Sreepur upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), said if the headteacher files written complaint, action will be taken after investigation.