A teacher\'s humiliation is entire nation\'s disgrace

Neil Ray | Published: May 22, 2016 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Immediately after the breaking of the news of a school teacher's ultimate humiliation in Narayanganj, a most exemplary and highly non-violent reaction came from none other than students. They are the students of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). They were the first to take upon themselves the onerous duty of doing squats holding their ears as a symbol of beseeching pardon from the humiliated teacher on behalf of the nation.
Students all across the country followed suit. Teachers have come forward to express their dismay, considering Shyamol Kanti Bhakta's humiliation their own disgrace. People of all walks of life have felt outraged by this mindless act committed by a lawmaker who reportedly was responsible for the stage-managed public protest against the headmaster. The concerned member of parliament (MP) from Jatiya Party and his henchmen alone accuse the headmaster of blasphemy; no one else agrees with them.
Clearly, bringing false charges of blasphemy against someone is irreligious enough to invite shame on the accuser. No amount of loathing can be equal to the vile act. The fact that students who have never known nor are expected to personally meet the teacher ever have felt the compunction to apologise to him but the hardened lawmaker has no such intention.
Moreover, he is trying to incite fundamental religious groups against the teacher.
Commendably, the education minister has firmly stood by the teacher, reinstated him and dissolved the managing committee of the school in question for conniving with the MP in the plot to oust the headmaster. He was brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for better treatment.
So far so good. But still the traumatised teacher has much to fear about. His personal and family's security is in question. He has reportedly been threatened when a proposal conveyed to him by the lawmaker's personal secretary for reconciliation was rejected. A leading campaigner of trial for war crime has felt prompted to appeal to the prime minister for talking action against the powerful MP. Indeed, here is someone who has proved time and again that he is above law.
Here is an occasion when the administration itself has to prove that no one is above law. In a democratic dispensation, all are equal in the eye of law. It is incumbent on the authorities to restore respect for law. This incident of teacher's humiliation is a test case of the highest order. It is only because the entire nation has stood united against the despicable act by one who is supposed to serve people instead of subjecting them to fall victim to his arrogance and whims. An MP's oath makes him/her pledge-bound to work for the well-being of all in the constituency.
The larger than life image for negative causes inspires lawlessness. In the case of a mafia don in Feni, the ruling party suffered quite a lot. Certainly the high command of the ruling party would not like to invite yet another such stigma.