Humiliated Narayanganj school teacher testifies before judicial panel

Testifying before a judicial investigation committee, Narayanganj school teacher Shyamal Kanti Bhakta has denied allegation of making blasphemous remarks.

Narayanganj Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 Oct 2016, 01:45 PM
Updated : 25 Oct 2016, 02:21 PM

He recounted on Tuesday how he was humiliated and assaulted for the comments he never made.

The supporters of local MP AKM Salim Osman, who was seen administering the humiliating punishment of Bhakta in a video in May, demonstrated in the town demanding the teacher’s penalty.

The judicial committee recorded Bhakta’s statement at the town’s Dak Bungalow.

Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sheikh Hafizur Rahman is heading the judicial investigation into the incident. The two other members of the committee are Dhaka’s CMM Court Magistrates Golam Nabi and Mazharul Islam. Narayanganj Chief Judicial Magistrate Shahidul Islam is assisting them.

Protests erupted across Bangladesh demanding trial of Salim and his accomplices after the teacher was physically assaulted and forced to do squatting holding his ears following the allegation at Piyar Sattar Latif High School on May 13.

The High Court issued a suo moto order over the incident asking local authorities to investigate the matter

The court later ordered judicial investigation, rejecting ‘carelessly made’ reports by police and administration.

Besides Bhakta, the Bandar Upazila Nirbahi officer, Upazila chairman and several others testified before the panel on Tuesday.

Bhakta later told reporters, “You’ve seen in the media how I was insulted. I’ve demanded justice from the investigation committee.”

He said he recounted the incident thoroughly before the panel.

Denying the allegation of making disrespectful comments on Islam, he said, “The question does not arise (of making such comment). It’s imaginary and exaggerated. The matter has been taken to a political level.”   

The school’s managing committee sacked Headmaster Bhakta for the alleged comments but he got his job back and the managing committee itself was dismissed following a court order.

He returned to Narayanganj after treatment in Dhaka on June 9 with police security.

A Narayanganj court refused to take cognisance of the charges of blasphemy against Bhakta but a group of Salim’s supporters has continued demanding the teacher’s punishment

The Jatiya Party MP’s supporters also demonstrated on Monday when the committee recorded statements of 19 persons, including the student who brought the allegation of blasphemy.

Fellow teachers and members of the managing committee and guardians gave statements as well before the probe body.