Salim Osman ordered N’ganj teacher to do sit-ups: Judicial probe
The judicial probe body, formed to look into the humiliation of headmaster Shyamal Kanti Bhakta in Narayanganj, has blamed local MP AKM Salim Osman for the incident, reports UNB.
In its report submitted to the High Court (HC) on Thursday, the judicial inquiry committee said the MP ordered the teacher to do sit-ups holding his earlobes following the demand of the locals.
Chief metropolitan magistrate Sheikh Hafizur Rahman submitted the 65-page probe report to the court through an affidavit, said deputy attorney general Motahar Hossain Saju.
He said the probe report was prepared after talking to the headmaster, other teachers, the victim student, his mother, locals and members of law enforcement agencies, and reviewing audio and video clips.
Saju also said the court will hear the probe report on Sunday.
In its report, the probe panel said it found the proof that Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, headmaster of Piyar Sattar Latif High School in Bandar area of Narayanganj, indiscriminately beat Class-X student Rifat Hasan on 8 May last year.
It was also proved that a group of 10-12 people, led by Apu, son of local resident Shamsul Haque, stormed the school conference room on 13 May while a managing committee meeting was in progress and beat the headmaster.
It, however, said the probe committee did not find the authentication of the allegation that the headmaster made any disparaging remarks about Islam and Allah.
Mentioning that it was announced through the mikes of a local mosque around 11:00am on 13 May that Shyamal Kanti Bhakta made disparaging remarks about Islam and Allah, the report said the announcement might have come following disputes between the school managing committee members over the development work.
On 10 August, the HC ordered the authorities concerned to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident rejecting a probe report submitted by Narayanganj police.
The chief judicial magistrate of Dhaka was asked to submit the report.
On 13 May last year, locals beat Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, headmaster of Piyar Sattar Latif High School in Bandar area of Narayanganj, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
At one stage, local MP AKM Salim Osman forced him to do sit-ups holding his earlobes.
The incident went viral on the social media triggering huge public outcry across the country.
On 17 May, the school authorities suspended Shyamal for allegedly making statements criticising religion.
In the face of huge outrage over the suspension, the government on 19 May dissolved the school's managing committee leading to the teacher's automatic reinstatement.
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