Narayanganj SP says school teacher’s public humiliation was no criminal offence

The incident of public humiliation of a school’s headmaster in Narayanganj was not a ‘criminal offence’, says the district superintendent of police.

Khandker Mohid Uddin has also said that police ‘could not have done anything’ over the incident that took place on Friday.

Shyamal Kanti Bhakta of Piyar Sattar Latif High School in Bandar Upazila was rescued by police after he was beaten up and made to do sit-ups holding his ears in the presence of local MP AKM Salim Osman.

Bhakta said the locals were provoked to attack him because he was falsely accused of making disparaging remarks about Islam.

He alleged that the rumour was spread, as he had refused to concede some ‘unethical requests’ by the school management committee.

SP Mohid Uddin on Monday said, “Everything happened following the school’s authorities’ decision. No criminal offence took place in this incident.

“So, police can’t do anything about this,” he said in reply to a journalist’s query on possible police action.

The Upazila administration, however, has started an inquiry into the incident.

When journalists informed Mohid Uddin that Shyamal Kanti Bhakta’s family was living in a state of fear, the Narayanganj SP said police would take the necessary steps if the law-enforcers’ help was sought.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid had, earlier in the day, condemned the incident, saying the next course of action would be decided after the completion of an inquiry into the incident.

“It’s very unfortunate. I will gather more information on it. Whatever measures are need will be taken,” he told reporters in his office at the Secretariat.