Students Protest, Vandalize School After Students Suicide
Photo Collected
Students at Bright School and College in Dhaka’s Donia staged a protest and vandalized school property on Thursday following the suicide of a 10th-grade student, allegedly driven by harassment from the institution’s chairman.
The demonstrators accused Masud Hasan (Litun), the founder and chairman of Bright School and College, of frequently mistreating students under various pretexts. They claim that Sabikun Nahar, the 10th-grade student who died by suicide on Wednesday by hanging herself, was a victim of such harassment.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The unrest began Thursday morning when students from the morning shift gathered at the school entrance after their exams. They were joined by other students, and a protest erupted, demanding justice for Masud Hasan. Parents also participated in the demonstration. According to school employees who spoke to the press, external individuals incited the protesters, leading to the vandalism of the building where Sabikun Nahar studied. School property, including CCTV cameras, glass, and cabinets, was damaged during the hours-long demonstration that continued until 5 p.m. The situation escalated when protesters attacked Masud Hasan, who was subsequently rescued by police and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Syed Ashrafuzzaman, Officer-in-Charge of Kadamtali Police Station, confirmed to the press on Thursday evening that students protested and attacked the institution multiple times between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., demanding justice for Masud Hasan. He added that the chairman was injured during the assault, and teachers were confined within the school premises. Police intervened to disperse the students and rescued Masud Hasan and the teachers. No case has been filed, and no arrests have been made in connection with the vandalism.
বিজ্ঞাপন
A female student from the 10th-grade humanities section recounted that during a model test in Bengali and Economics on Wednesday, Sabikun Nahar appeared to struggle with her economics paper and began drawing on her answer sheet. A teacher confiscated her paper and sent it to Chairman Masud Hasan, who allegedly berated and mistreated Sabikun Nahar for an extended period. The student also alleged that Sabikun Nahar’s guardian was summoned and subjected to verbal abuse.
Another student involved in the protest stated that the chairman accused Sabikun Nahar of cheating, though she maintains the student was not cheating and was not looking at anyone else’s paper. “A girl subjected to such a scolding would lose the will to live out of shame,” the student told reporters.
A male student participating in the demonstration added that the chairman frequently reprimands and abuses students without cause if they do not comply with his demands, threatening them with transfer certificates. “We will no longer tolerate his oppression. We want exemplary punishment for him,” he stated.
When contacted for comment, Mohammad Moidur Rahman, the principal of Bright School and College, acknowledged the students’ anger over their peer’s suicide and stated that school authorities were attempting to reason with them.
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