A group of students from Viqarunnisa Noon School and College have staged a three-hour-long hunger strike, demanding the release of Class 9 Teacher Hasna Hena.
They observed the hunger strike from 10am to 12:55pm on Sunday.
A student representative, Sadaqatul Muntaha, said they will be continuing the strike until their teacher is released.
Some of the teachers, including new acting principal Hasina Begum, addressed the students and convinced them end the strike—around 12:55pm.
English department teacher Jannatul Ferdous Shila told the students: “We will try to get Hasna Hena released from jail, legally. This is not the time to opt for tough movements like a hunger strike.
“If we fail – in every way – to get her released, we will join you in a hunger strike—if need be,” she added. She urged the students to call off their hunger strike and drink some water."
Before that, a former Viqarunnisa student, Farha Dolon, read out a memorandum of demands—which was earlier presented to the Education Ministry by a three-member student representative.
“We also demand the withdrawal of our teacher’s case and for her to be honourably released,” she added.
Farha then proposed the students observe a hunger strike, demanding their teacher’s release. Although some of the students agreed, the others did not. The willing students started to observe the strike around 10am.
Also Read- Viqarunnisa student suicide: 3 teachers lose MPO benefits
After the hunger strike was called off, all the students went back to their school—along with the teachers.
After waiting for around an hour, some of the students told the correspondent that the students will continue to protest inside the school premises—as it is not safe for them to do so outside.
The protestors have been continuing their strike since December 7. Earlier in the day, they gathered in front of the school’s main gate around 8am, chanting slogans such as “amader maar mukti din,” which roughly translates to “release our mother.”
Mushfika Maliyat, a student of the college, said: “We want the release of our teacher. We will boycott our classes until she is released.”
Some of the students’ parents are also present at the spot. Although, some parents have been supporting the protest, others have urged the students to return to their classes.
Hasna Hena was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of police from Dhaka’s Uttara area on December 5—for allegedly instigating Aritry's suicide.
On December 6, a Dhaka court turned down Hasna’s bail petition and sent her to jail.
3 Viqarunnisa teachers sacked
On December 6, Viqarunnisa authorities sacked acting principal Nazneen Ferdous and morning shift in-charge Zinnat Ara – alongside Hasna – on government orders that followed two days of protests over Aritry's death.
The monthly pay-orders (MPOs) of all three teachers were also cancelled.
Two investigation committees, one by the government and another by the school authorities, were formed to investigate the matter.
Case filed by victim’s father
The victim’s father – Dilip Adhikary – accused Hasna Hena, Nazneen Ferdous, and Zinnat Akhtar, of instigating the suicide— in a case filed with Paltan police station on December 4.
The Education Ministry also asked the police and Rapid Action Battalion to take legal action against the teachers.
Why did Aritry commit suicide?
According to the first information report filed with the Paltan police station, Aritry committed suicide on December 3.
She did so after her parents were summoned to the school and told that Aritry would be given a transfer certificate—because she was caught with a mobile phone in an examination hall the day before.
Aritry and her parents pleaded with Zinnat, the morning shift in-charge – and later the principal – to forgive her and let her take the rest of the exams—but both the teachers were unmoved and rude to the family, Dilip further claimed.