How long the teachers will face guillotine executions?

Post-mass uprising anarchy is still visible in Bangladesh. The state machinery is still largely inactive in the backdrop of the changes. In this vacuum, at least partially, the rule of the insane continues.

Although this anarchy and madness has stopped in many areas, chaos still exists in the education sector. Every day a teacher has to get lessons. Over-enthusiastic students are besieging, insulting, forcing the teacher to resign on their own will or at someone's instigation. In some places, the student himself sits in the teacher's chair instead of the teacher. What a terrible, unspeakable tragedy!

On September 28, 2024, the headmaster of Mohanpur High School in Debidwar upazila of Cumilla, Kazi Alamgir Hossain, left the office with the help of the army. A ninth-grade student sat in his chair. (Ajker Potrika, 28 September 2024)

What a terrible situation! What an unthinkable can be thought of!

A few other things should also be mentioned. On September 29, the director of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College H. M. Saiful Islam was forced to resign. The students might have a logical reason for his resignation, but the medical students and intern doctors who were reportedly being harassed by the director seem to force him to resign.

Another incident that broke my heart. Shukla Rani Halder, was the principal of Barikganj Government College in Barisal. On August 31, 2024, she was forced to resign after being besieged and humiliated. Various videos circulated on social media show how helpless Shukla Rani Halder was under the pressure of a group of unruly students and outsiders in that afternoon. She was besieged for nearly four hours and was forced to resign under pressure from all sides. Unable to bear this humiliation, Shukla Rani Sarkar finally wrote, 'I have resigned.' (Prothom Alo, August 31, 2024)

After the changeover, hundreds of teachers have been insulted in this way and forcibly removed. Teachers are returning home with their heads down after enduring brutal humiliation in their educational institutions. Another person was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Most likely, their only crime is that they were appointed during the Sheikh Hasina government or they did not join the movement directly. One thing needs to be kept in mind that joining a revolution, rebellion or movement is a personal decision of a person. A professional has the civil liberty to decide at what stage of the movement, how to participate or not. A teacher has that right. If a teacher does not actively participate in the student uprising, it cannot be his crime. But yes, if a teacher directly opposes this movement and incites violence or takes oppressive action against students, s/he must be taken into account. The crime can be punished. There are proper authorities for it. But it is not desirable to force the teacher in charge to resign after being blocked and brutally humiliated.

This is not the end of getting new responsibilities in the post-uprising period, even the teachers who participated in the 2024 coup are being assaulted and harassed.

A new wave of horrendous accusations of blasphemy has now been added to the fascist's dossier.
Let's give some examples. On September 17, 2024, just two and a half hours after taking charge as the principal of Rajshahi College, the new principal of Rajshahi College was also forced to resign in the face of students' pressure.

In addition to resignations, teachers are being pressured or harassed in many other ways. Professor Rebecca Sultana and associate professor Mandira Chowdhury, both of the philosophy department of Dhaka University, have been relieved from classes for several batches under pressure from students. The names of two former chairmen of the social sciences department of the same university, Professor Sadeka Halim and Zinat Huda, have been removed from the list of chairpersons of the department. Many people call them anti-religious in various ways. They hate their names.

Two university teachers are the last victims of this ongoing disgraceful practice. Laika Bashir, Assistant Professor, Department of Basic Science and Humanities, University of Asia Pacific and Dr. ASM Mohsin have been suspended by the university administration on accusations of blasphemy or Islamophobia. What a scary, terrible virus is spreading in the educational campuses of Bangladesh!

The interim government has never taken a strong or fair stance on this disgraceful practice after the coup. On August 25 last year, the education adviser made it clear that there was no scope for forcing the resignations of those in various positions. But who's listening? The government has not done anything officially in this regard. A circular was issued in this regard. It should have been made clear that there would be no forced resignations or unhygienic procedures. Rather, those involved in such anti-social, unacceptable, disgusting acts should be tried as criminals. That might have prevented some of the chaos.

The behaviour of students, former students, and in some cases, outsiders and miscreants towards teachers is causing a lot of concern. What if teachers lose interest in teaching in the face of constant humiliation and abuse? Generally, outside the classroom, teachers stand by the students in the future of the students, in danger and crisis. Who will be harmed if teachers are discouraged in this work?

As I was writing this article, I came to know from an online portal that the principal of Narail Nursing College, Afroza Khatun, has been blocked and made to sign her resignation letter. Yes, there may be many complaints against the heads and teachers of schools, colleges, madrasas and universities across the country. Many of these claims may be true. But there is a certain structure, process to remedy those. This should not be done by the students, not in any case.

Being a teacher, it was heartbreaking to see the fellows being insulted by the students. When a group of agitated students demand the dismissal or resignation of their teacher, why does it feel like the guillotine executions that were once common in France? This cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment system was introduced in France in the 18th century. A group of people were watching the punishment. They often rejoiced and reviled the condemned.

The teachers of the country are liberated from the hands of a group of crazy students, outsiders or conspirators. In such cases, I have a wish and request to the students: Do not put the insulting guillotine on the guru (mentor) anymore. It's a kind of murder. A teacher has nothing to lose.

(The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Jagannath University)