Not hijab, students beaten for not wearing uniform: Probe body
Students of Daul Barbakpur High School in Naogaon’s Mahadebpur upazila were beaten up by teachers for not wearing the uniform and were not hit for wearing hijab, said the inquiry committee in their report which they submitted to the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) on Monday night.
The inquiry committee was formed to investigate the incident and it was headed by Mahadebpur upazila livestock officer Abdul Malek.
He and other members of the committee went to local UNO Mizanur Rahman at 8:00pm on Monday and submitted their four-page report. In their inquiry, they found no proof of students getting struck because of wearing hijab.
They found proof of some teachers and members of the school’s management committee spreading this rumour against Amodini Paul to incite the locals against her.
The inquiry committee feels that on 6 April the school’s assistant head teacher Amodini Paul and physical studies teacher Bodiul Alam struck the students for not following the school’s dress code. Due to inner conflict in the school, some people have tried to spin the story to trap Amodini Paul.
UNO Mizanur Rahman told Prothom Alo, the inquiry committee has submitted its report. They found no proof of the students getting struck for wearing hijab. The inquiry committee felt that on 6 April the school’s assistant head teacher Amodini Paul and physical studies teacher Bodiul Alam struck the students for not following the school’s dress code.
Due to inner conflict in the school, some people have tried to spin the story to trap Amodini Paul. The committee has suggested taking appropriate legal action against the persons who spread the rumour. The report also said that on 7 April, 150-200 people attacked the school premises. They have suggested taking legal action against those people too.
Mizanur Rahman further said teachers Amodini Paul and Badiul Alam beat the student as the later came to the school without wearing uniform. Yet, headmaster Dharani Kanto Barman served a show cause to Amodini Paul only. The probe committee found such activities to be intentional and recommended to take departmental action against the headmaster. Besides, a recommendation was made to take departmental action against Amodini Paul and Badiul Alam for beating the student violating the government’s instructions.
Asked whether the inquiry committee traces the people spreading rumours, the UNO said, “Some people have been identified but their names can’t be disclosed now and you will know everything once the legal action is taken.”
He said whatever actions are necessary and whenever, that will be taken after taking the probe committee’s observations and recommendations into consideration.
Abudul Malek of the probe committee said their investigation were free from influence.
He told Prothom Alo, “We called everyone including teachers, students, guardians, members of the school manning committee and villagers. We prepared the report based on evidence and the statement of everyone. The UNO accepted the report. The report made observation and seven recommendations. We conducted the investigating without any influence and we do not have the authority to disclose who is responsible over the incident and how. However, the report contains almost everything.”
Allegation surfaced over students being beaten for not wearing hijab at the school on 6 April. The next day, locals protested it and vandalised the school. Following the incident, local administration formed a three-member probe committee headed by the upazila livestock officer. The committee was asked to report in three working days, ending on Monday. Before that, the education department formed another probe body to look into the matter.