Viqarunnisa teacher arrested over ‘sexual harassment’

A mathematics teacher of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College’s Azimpur campus in Dhaka was arrested today, shortly after he had been suspended for alleged sexual harassment.

Binoy Kumar, duty officer of Lalbagh police station, said a police team arrested Mohammad Murad Hossain Sarkar from his Kalabagan residence early Tuesday.

On Monday evening, the mother of a student lodged a case against the morning shift teacher, alleging him of sexually harassing students at his coaching centre.

The educational institution’s Azimpur branch Acting Principal Keka Roy Chowdhury said they decided to suspend the teacher after holding a meeting of the governing body as the allegations brought against him were found to be primarily true.

Moreover, a decision was made to form a three member committee from the divisional commissioner’s office to investigate the incident, she said.
On 7 February, students submitted complaints to the principal accusing the teacher of sexual harassment.

Last Saturday, the school authority withdrew the senior teacher and subsequently attached him to the principal’s office in the face of demonstration by a section of students and their guardians.

Protesting the withdrawal decision the following day, the students and their guardians started a protest on the school campus, demanding an exemplary punishment of the accused.

The guardians also held a press conference at the National Press Club the same day, demanding that the accused teacher be sacked.

On the other hand, rejecting the allegations, another section of students and their guardians announced to hold a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in favour of the senior teacher this morning.