HC asks heads of madrasas: be careful

Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Sunday asked all the heads of the madrasas across the country to be careful about disciplining the child students.
It also observed that no student can be tortured physically or mentally as per the previous directives of the High Court.
The court said also, torture, various forms of mental and physical abuse and even sexual assault have been taking place in the madrasas. The court has given instructions in this regard long ago adding that the instructions should be effective everywhere.
All the educational institutions, including madrasas, have to conduct academic activities in line with the constitution and the relevant laws.
If the laws and constitution are violated by any educational institution, the education ministry, Directorate of Education and education boards can take appropriate legal action against them, added the High Court.
The High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice Shahed Nuruddin passed the observations after going through the compliance reports submitted by the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Chattogram over beating a student by a madrasa teacher.
The academic activities of the seven-year-old student of Markazul Islami Academy Hafezia Madrasa, who was walloped by madrasa teacher Maulana Yahia, cannot be stopped in any manner.
The court on March 11 this year in a Suo Moto (voluntary) move wanted to know what legal action was taken against madrasa teacher Hefez Yahia who was seen in a recent video mercilessly beating one of his students that went viral on social media.
Deputy commissioner and police superintendent of Chattogram were asked to submit a report in the court by March 14 describing the detailed actions taken against the madrasa teacher.
Complying with the order, the DC and SP submitted two separate reports to the High Court, saying that the authorities concerned of Markazul Islami Academy Hafezia Madrasa have been cautioned so that incidents like clubbing students do not happen in future.
Necessary legal steps have been taken against Maulana Yahia, the duo said in the reports.
A case has been filed against him and he has been arrested, produced in a court and sent to jail in connection with the case, they mentioned.
Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar placed the reports in the HC bench in line with its earlier order.
DAG Bashar said that necessary steps were taken to ensure security of the victim and his family members, as well as his treatment.
The accused named Hafez Yahia was a teacher of Hefz department of Markazul Islami Academy Hafezia Madrasa in Hathazari upazila of Chattogram.
Sources said parents of the student, Md Yasin Farhad, went to visit him at the madrasa on Tuesday afternoon. As the parents were returning home, the seven-year-old son wished to go with them and went out of the madrasa, which infuriated Yahia.
Later, the teacher grabbed the little boy by the neck, took him inside the madrasa and beat him ferociously.