Hriday Mandal returns to class after 28 days

Teachers and students of Binodpur Ramkumar High School in Munshiganj welcomed science teacher Hriday Mandal with flowers on 19 April, 2022UNB

Teachers and students of Binodpur Ramkumar High School in Munshiganj welcomed science teacher Hriday Mandal with flowers on Tuesday as he returned to his school nine days after he was freed on bail in a case over “hurting religious sentiment”, reports UNB.

It was followed by a rally of harmony brought out by the students and teachers of the school, local representatives and people in the area.

“I am very happy today. I’m back at my school. I can take classes again,” Hriday Mandal said after returning to his work.

“I’ve no issue with my beloved students,” he said adding, “But, I think those who provoked them should be brought to book.”

Later on Tuesday, he took science and maths classes as per routine. The students were also happy to see their beloved teacher back at work.

Earlier on 13 April, he came to the school to meet the probe committee.

Alamgir Hossain, president of the school’s managing committee, said, “Those who wanted to harass Hriday have failed. The way the students of this school have welcomed him today is proof of their failure.”

“This incident happened in my absence as I was out of the country. And I’m very sorry for this,” he said.

Headmaster of Binodpur Ramkumar High School, Alauddin Ahmed said, “The incident was quite disgraceful considering the reputation of our school. Some of our students did these. However, they have realised their mistake.”

“We will make sure that such an incident can never happen again,” he added.

Munshiganj pourashava (municipality) mayor Mohammad Faisal Biplob said the gathering of all teachers and students will definitely help improve the environment of the school.

He also instructed the managing committee to install CCTV cameras at Hriday’s residential quarter and the surrounding area to ensure his security.

Meanwhile, a one-member probe committee formed by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education has not submitted any report even after five days. They were scheduled to submit the report by Tuesday.

Abdul Hai Talukder, the lone member of the committee and principal of Government Haraganga College, said the report would be submitted to the director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education on Wednesday.

Earlier on 10 April, Hriday Mandal was released from Munshiganj jail after the court granted him bail.

He was arrested on 22 March after Asad Mia, an electrician of the school, lodged a complaint with Sadar police station on charge of “hurting religious sentiment”.

The rights groups denounced his arrest as an attempt to curtail freedom of expression and science education in the country.

Earlier on 20 March, some tenth-grade students of Binodpur Ramkumar High School (science section), recorded a class conversation of Hriday Mandal on science and religion on a mobile phone.

On 22 March, some students staged demonstrations outside the school calling for punishment of the science teacher. He was subsequently arrested triggering protests at home and abroad.