Protect the dignity of teachers in society

The headmaster was taken to a field where the chairman and his associates beat him severely with hockey sticks. The victim’s hands and legs were broken

The headmaster of a government primary school in Jhalokathi district was critically injured following an attack by an Awami League leader and his associates on the night of Monday. According to a report of a vernacular daily yesterday, three other persons, including two women, were injured by the AL leader and his men. They are now undergoing treatment at Barisal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital and Jhalokathi Sadar Hospital. As stated in the report, Abdul Latif Mia, headmaster of Gobinda Dhabal Government Primary School in Sadar upazila of the district, was picked up into the car of Sultan Hossain Khan, joint secretary of Jhalokathi district Awami League and chairman of Sadar upazila. He was taken to a field near the police box in the town where the chairman and his associates beat him severely with hockey sticks. The victim’s hands and legs were broken. 
The poor teacher fell under the wrath of the chairman centering around the formation of the managing committee of a local school. The chairman wanted to declare the person of his choice as the chairman of the managing committee without holding election. But the headmaster among others could not support it. The chairman who is very much influential in the area could not tolerate this and planned to teach the teacher a lesson. The brutal attack on the teacher and others is the result of the chairman’s fury. 
It is very disturbing to note that teachers are coming under attack these days without rhyme or reason. In the recent past Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, head teacher of Piyar Sattar Latif High School in Bandar upazila of Narayanganj, was publicly humiliated for his alleged comment on religion. The teacher was forced to do sit-up holding his earlobes publicly. The incident created a lot of agitation among the saner segment of society throughout the country. The humiliation surely traumatized and haunted the teacher for a long time. 
Teachers are the conscience of the nation. They are the makers of future citizens of the country. The quality of education in the country greatly depends on them. But it is very unfortunate to note that these teachers are being humiliated and insulted in numerous ways. It defies logic how a teacher can come under brutal attack. There is no dearth of people with fiendish habits in this country. Education, culture, values, ethics, humility, justice and morality mean very little or nothing to them. They can go to any length over a simple issue. They want to establish supremacy in their localities by dint of their muscle power. They have scores of henchmen under their command. Trigger-happy rowdy elements always swarm around them like flies. They have good relations with their ‘bosses’ having sufficient political clouts. A section of members of the law enforcing agencies are also seen hobnobbing with them. They can establish reign of terror in their areas in such a manner that none dares to open their mouth against them. 
In recent times violence perpetrated by terrorist elements makes newspaper headlines very often. And in some cases teachers become victims of such violence for no fault of their own. Teachers also become victims for not helping wards of influential persons in the examination halls. Rowdy elements enjoying blessings of those who matter dare to attack and injure teachers in broad daylight. Teachers also become targets of hoodlums for protesting sexual harassment of girls. Such a scenario cannot expected in a democratic country.  
There are widespread allegations against some elements of killing, terrorism, intimidation, extortion, abduction for ransom, drug business and what not.   Peace-loving people are bearing the brunt of the anarchy unleashed by these elements. Apparently, they have grown an attitude that they are above law and thus untouched. The countrymen are witnessing with horror how some undesirable elements are doing and undoing things according to their sweet will. 
Harbouring these elements will not augur well for the country. It is high time for the government to rein in these people in the interest of establishment of rule of law and good governance. The present government has various achievements in different sectors of the country. Through these achievements the government has earned the confidence of the people. The government’s uncompromising stand in matters of taming the religious extremists and dark forces deserves special appreciation. Now the countrymen want the government to be tough with the unruly ones who are out to smear its success.  The rowdy elements should be identified and punished without mercy. If it is done the government will earn more confidence of the taxpayers. It is better to operate upon a boil before it turns malignant. The incident of attack on the headmaster in Jhalokathi should be investigated immediately and the persons responsible for the attack should be brought under justice. Proper medical care should be provided to the teacher so that he can return to normal life soon. Measures should be taken so that in future no teacher is attacked and humiliated. Police should be prompt in filing cases relating to attack and assault on teachers. Students and their guardians have also their due roles to play in maintaining the prestige of the teachers’ community.      

The writer is an Assistant Editor of The Independent  

Protect the dignity of teachers in society

The headmaster was taken to a field where the chairman and his associates beat him severely with hockey sticks. The victims hands and legs were broken

The headmaster of a government primary school in Jhalokathi district was critically injured following an attack by an Awami League leader and his associates on the night of Monday. According to a report of a vernacular daily yesterday, three other persons, including two women, were injured by the AL leader and his men. They are now undergoing treatment at Barisal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital and Jhalokathi Sadar Hospital. As stated in the report, Abdul Latif Mia, headmaster of Gobinda Dhabal Government Primary School in Sadar upazila of the district, was picked up into the car of Sultan Hossain Khan, joint secretary of Jhalokathi district Awami League and chairman of Sadar upazila. He was taken to a field near the police box in the town where the chairman and his associates beat him severely with hockey sticks. The victims hands and legs were broken. The poor teacher fell under the wrath of the chairman centering around the formation of the managing committee of a local school. The chairman wanted to declare the person of his choice as the chairman of the managing committee without holding election. But the headmaster among others could not support it. The chairman who is very much influential in the area could not tolerate this and planned to teach the teacher a lesson. The brutal attack on the teacher and others is the result of the chairmans fury. It is very disturbing to note that teachers are coming under attack these days without rhyme or reason. In the recent past Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, head teacher of Piyar Sattar Latif High School in Bandar upazila of Narayanganj, was publicly humiliated for his alleged comment on religion. The teacher was forced to do sit-up holding his earlobes publicly. The incident created a lot of agitation among the saner segment of society throughout the country. The humiliation surely traumatized and haunted the teacher for a long time. Teachers are the conscience of the nation. They are the makers of future citizens of the country. The quality of education in the country greatly depends on them. But it is very unfortunate to note that these teachers are being humiliated and insulted in numerous ways. It defies logic how a teacher can come under brutal attack. There is no dearth of people with fiendish habits in this country. Education, culture, values, ethics, humility, justice and morality mean very little or nothing to them. They can go to any length over a simple issue. They want to establish supremacy in their localities by dint of their muscle power. They have scores of henchmen under their command. Trigger-happy rowdy elements always swarm around them like flies. They have good relations with their bosses having sufficient political clouts. A section of members of the law enforcing agencies are also seen hobnobbing with them. They can establish reign of terror in their areas in such a manner that none dares to open their mouth against them. In recent times violence perpetrated by terrorist elements makes newspaper headlines very often. And in some cases teachers become victims of such violence for no fault of their own. Teachers also become victims for not helping wards of influential persons in the examination halls. Rowdy elements enjoying blessings of those who matter dare to attack and injure teachers in broad daylight. Teachers also become targets of hoodlums for protesting sexual harassment of girls. Such a scenario cannot expected in a democratic country. There are widespread allegations against some elements of killing, terrorism, intimidation, extortion, abduction for ransom, drug business and what not. Peace-loving people are bearing the brunt of the anarchy unleashed by these elements. Apparently, they have grown an attitude that they are above law and thus untouched. The countrymen are witnessing with horror how some undesirable elements are doing and undoing things according to their sweet will. Harbouring these elements will not augur well for the country. It is high time for the government to rein in these people in the interest of establishment of rule of law and good governance. The present government has various achievements in different sectors of the country. Through these achievements the government has earned the confidence of the people. The governments uncompromising stand in matters of taming the religious extremists and dark forces deserves special appreciation. Now the countrymen want the government to be tough with the unruly ones who are out to smear its success. The rowdy elements should be identified and punished without mercy. If it is done the government will earn more confidence of the taxpayers. It is better to operate upon a boil before it turns malignant. The incident of attack on the headmaster in Jhalokathi should be investigated immediately and the persons responsible for the attack should be brought under justice. Proper medical care should be provided to the teacher so that he can return to normal life soon. Measures should be taken so that in future no teacher is attacked and humiliated. Police should be prompt in filing cases relating to attack and assault on teachers. Students and their guardians have also their due roles to play in maintaining the prestige of the teachers community. The writer is an Assistant Editor ofThe Independent