The headmaster of Charnewazi High School in Kurigram’s Rajibpoor upazila allegedly forces the students of the institution to join Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of the country’s Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islam.
Students and teachers of the school alleged that the headmaster, Shafiul Alam, persuades the teenaged students of the institute, taking advantage of their youth and immaturity, to sign up with the party.
Guardians of many students, meanwhile, alleged that the school has turned from an ordinary educational institute into a breeding ground for recruitung Shibir activists.
On condition of anonymity, a schoolteacher told the Dhaka Tribune that the headmaster of the school was a Jamaat leader, adding that four other assistant teachers of the school were also collaborating with the headmaster in the alleged scheme.
The teacher also claimed: “Some 500 students of the school were forced to join Shibir in the month of January alone. Now the students regularly take part in Shibir programmes and violent demonstrations during Hartal.”
Meanwhile, a class seven student said: “I was forced to become Shibir activist.”
However, the school unit Shibir president Monir Hossain and general secretary Alamgir Hossain denied the allegations, saying: “We force nobody to be our activists. Students join our organization of their own will, inspired by what we preach.”
When asked about his role in persuading students to join Shibir, headmaster Shafiul Alam said: “Yes, it’s true that Chhatra Shibir remains active in this institution and new activists are enrolled in it.”
He, however, denied the allegation that students were being forced to join Chhatra Shibir.
Rajibpur police station Officer-in-Charge Rashedul Islam said they have noticed students from this school have been in the frontline during Shibir demonstrations.
“It’s unfortunate that Shibir is using school students for their gain,” he said.
On the other hand, when contacted, Rajibpur Upazila Nirbani Officer Abdul Latif Khan said he was not aware of the matter.
