Locals besiege school, want headmaster to quit

Guardians and locals besieged Begum Rokeya Girls High School at Purbo Faridpur in Palashbari upazila of the district yesterday, demanding removal of the headmaster for alleged harassment of a girl student.

The guardians alleged that the headmaster Saiful Islam Badal called the girl, a student of Class IX, to the school's library on September 6 and sexually harassed her. The girl later informed her parents about the matter.

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The parents of the girl and other guardians filed a complaint with the president of the school managing committee and demanded removal of the headmaster. They kept the school locked on September 8, to press their demand.

The school managing committee formed a 3-member committee to investigate the matter. The committee, after investigation and as per the statement of the victim, found that the headmaster had harassed her sexually. The probe committee submitted its report to the managing committee.

As the managing committee was delaying taking any step against the headmaster, locals besieged the school yesterday, demanding immediate removal and punishment of the headmaster. They also threatened that they would not send their children to the school until the headmaster was removed.

Facing public wrath, Jahangir Alam Sarker, president of the managing committee, suspended the headmaster and assured the local people that he would take steps against him.

The headmaster has been absconding since the incident. Mamunur Rashid, upazila secondary education officer, ordered the president of the school managing committee to take appropriate action against the headmaster.