6 educational insttn heads barred from workplaces in Mirzapur
The heads of six educational institutions in Mirzapur, Tangail, have been unable to attend their workplaces for nearly two years following protests and allegations of irregularities, leaving the institutions struggling with administrative and academic challenges.
While some of the affected principals and headteachers continue to receive salaries and sign official documents from undisclosed locations, others have faced financial hardship. Despite directives from the Ministry of Education prohibiting such obstructions before allegations are established through investigations, the problems remain unresolved.
The affected institutions are New Kahela College in Warshi Union, Bashtail Md Monsur Ali High School in Azgana Union, Banguri Dakhil Madrasa and Fatehpur Maynal Haque School and College in Anaitara Union, Mirzapur Women’s College in Mirzapur Municipality, and Dr Ayesha Razia Khondoker School and College in Jamurki Union.
Their respective heads are Principal Imam Hossain Mohammad Faruk, Headteacher Mohammad Emran Hossain, Superintendent Maulana Mohammad Azmal Hossain Khan, Headteacher ATM Mohammad Abdul Matin, Principal Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid and Principal Kazi Mohammad Abdul Hannan.
According to the Upazila Secondary Education Office, the problems began after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, when the heads of several educational institutions in Mirzapur faced protests and obstruction from students and local residents.
Upazila Secondary Education Officer Zulfikar Haider said the Ministry of Education had issued several circulars and directives prohibiting the forced resignation of institutional heads and teachers or obstruction of their entry into educational institutions before allegations against them were established through investigations.
“Letters have been sent to those responsible for academic affairs at each institution, urging them to resolve the problems,” he said.
He added that the institutions were no longer facing problems directly stemming from the events following August 5, 2024, but a lack of cooperation from some teachers and local residents had prevented a resolution.
The upazila administration and the Upazila Secondary Education Office are continuing their efforts to resolve the disputes, he added.
Although the local administration and leaders of the Upazila Secondary Teachers’ Association helped resolve similar problems at several institutions, the disputes involving the six institutions remain unsettled.
The absence of institutional heads has reportedly affected academic and administrative activities, with allegations of poor public examination results, disciplinary problems and a failure to improve educational standards.
Mohammad Emran Hossain, headteacher of Bashtail Md Monsur Ali High School, has been leading a life of hardship with his family after going without salary and allowances for a prolonged period.
In contrast, the heads of five other institutions have reportedly continued to receive salaries and sign official documents from undisclosed locations, despite being unable to attend their workplaces.
At Dr Ayesha Razia Khondoker School and College, students and local residents staged protests around eight months ago against Principal Kazi Mohammad Abdul Hannan, accusing him of sexually harassing female students and a teacher, favouritism, irregularities, corruption and embezzlement of funds.
Following the protests, he was prevented from attending the institution. Although he later joined the college with the assistance of the upazila administration, following directives from the Mymensingh Regional Office of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education and the Ministry of Education in Dhaka, some teachers and local outsiders continued to obstruct him.
