Corporal punishment against two girls at an orphanage run by Social Welfare Directorate in Barisal has caused uproar among the public after its footage went viral on social networking sites.
Although the incident took place on July 4, the district administration became aware of it after the footage went viral.
The footage uploaded on Facebook shows Md Dulal, health assistant at the institution, is indiscriminately beating two girls as they try to flee from the shelter home.
Yesterday, Deputy Commissioner Dr Gazi Saifuzzaman went to the orphanage and asked officials concerned to take stern action against the people responsible for the abuse after a proper investigation.
According to orphanage sources, Akhi, 9, daughter of Taslima Begum of Tajkati village, Sadar upazila, and Dalia, 10, daughter of Bilkis Begum of Bhuterdia, Babuganj upazila have been living in the home for a few months. Both are students of class III at a local primary school.
Bilkis Begum had come to the orphanage to meet with her daughter. Then, Dalia wanted to leave with her mother, but authorities had not given her permission to leave the home. Later, Akhi and Dalia were seen at a mobile phone shop at Sagardi Bazar. Afterward, the orphanage authorities forcefully brought them back, said the sources.
Then, Health Assistant of the orphanage Md Dulal beat them indiscriminately, leaving them critically injured.
A student of class IIII who preferred to be unnamed told the Dhaka Tribune that almost all the girls were tortured by orphanage staff over trivial matters. After the incident on July 4, residents of the shelter home have been asked to keep their mouths shut by the authorities, she added.
Md Dulal said he lightly beat the girls so they would not dare to go out of the orphanage.
He, however, said: “I am health assistant of the centre. I am not entrusted with guarding the girls, so why should I beat them severely? It was only for their well being.”
Ismat Ara, in-charge of the orphanage, said she was not aware of the corporal punishment. She said Dulal was asked to bring the girl back from Sagardi as there was a shortage of staff in the institution.
Deputy Commissioner Saifuzzaman said a probe committee would be formed to investigate the matter.
