Authorities of a Narayanganj school have suspended its head teacher days after he was publicly humiliated for allegedly making statements criticising religion, reports news agency UNB.
The managing committee of Piyar Sattar Latif High School took the decision against Shyamal Kanti Bhakta at an emergency meeting on Tuesday, said committee president Faruqul Islam.
The charges include making anti-Islam remarks and beating students, he said.
On 13 May, locals beat Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, headmaster of the Piyar Sattar Latif High School in Bandar area of Narayanganj for allegedly hurting the religious sentiment.
At one stage, local member of parliament (MP) AKM Salim Osman made him do sit-ups holding his ears in the presence of local people.
Meanwhile, wife of the headmaster who was undergoing treatment at a local hospital under police custody said they were now passing their days in insecurity.
Police super of the district Khandker Mahiduddin said two policemen have been deployed for the security of the headmaster.
Referring to his Monday’s remark describing the punishment of the teacher as not a criminal offence, the SP claimed that his statement was distorted.
Mentioning that a probe committee has been formed in this regard, he said legal action will be taken after receiving the probe report against those involved in such public punishment.
Meanwhile, students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) formed a human chain by holding their ears in front of the university central library around 11:00am protesting at the deplorable act against the teacher.
Besides, Primary Teachers Rights Protection Forum called a half-an-hour work abstention from 12:00pm to 12:30pm for 19 May in all the primary schools across the country protesting the public humiliation of the teacher.
They also demanded removal and punishment of MP Salim Osman.
On the other hand, law minister Anisul Huq on Tuesday said the public punishment of a school headmaster in Narayanganj for his alleged offensive comments about religion is an offence.
“To make a teacher to do sit-ups holding his ears is a deplorable act and it’s a punishable offence in my consideration. Those who were involved in the incident should be punished,” said Anisul.