DHAKA: At Moslem Uddin Girls’ High School, an Islamic and moral education teacher was accused of pressuring Hindu students to wear burqas and read the Quran. Following the incident, which reportedly occurred on Tuesday, September 25, outraged female students staged a protest on September 26. In response, a meeting was held at the district administrator’s office.
Representative image
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rabiul Faysal commented on September 27, stating, “The two teachers had made controversial remarks regarding the reading of the Bhagavad Gita and had asked Hindu students to wear hijabs.” He added that this caused distress among the Hindu students, leading to the suspension of the teachers. The decision was made following a protest organized by several students from Moslem Uddin Girls’ High School on Wednesday.
A video of the student protest quickly went viral on social media, with students voicing multiple complaints against their teacher. One student claimed, “The teacher asked us to memorise Surahs along with their meanings within a week. He also instructed us to wear hijabs, saying boys would otherwise be able to see our bodies. He insults us harshly during class.” Another student accused the teacher of discriminatory behavior, saying, “The teacher came into the classroom and asked the Hindu girls to stand. When questioned about why we don’t wear hijabs, I asked why we should, and he replied that boys would stare at us in the streets. He then insulted us and said, We must wear hijabs starting the next day.”
Additionally, the teacher reportedly made negative remarks about Hindu religious practices and insulted students’ parents. Some students also claimed that the teacher questioned their religious beliefs, asking, “Why don’t you wear hijabs? What’s the point of worshipping idols?” They further alleged that the reading of the Gita during assembly was stopped and replaced with Quran recitations, and the teacher also questioned students about wearing sindoor.
He turned the topic around by saying this, “We had simply asked the girls to wear scarves with their school uniforms, not hijabs.” When questioned about the students’ allegations, he responded, “I filed a case against a group involved in extortion several months ago. This group is now manipulating the situation by changing the term ‘scarves’ to ‘hijabs,’ encouraging the students to harass us.”
Maulana Mustafizur very sharply accused members of the Hindu community by stating, “I only teach Islam and do not participate in Hindu religious classes. An influential individual is behind this because he failed to secure a teaching position for his brother at the school.”
Source: https://organiser.org/2024/09/27/258090/world/bangladesh-religious-coercion-or-a-targeted-attack-hindu-students-allegedly-forced-to-wear-hijabs/
Related news:
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/2-teachers-suspended-ordering-hindu-students-wear-hijab-3713976
https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/658a0f73f955
