The arrest of the manager of Sharmin Academy in Mirpur over allegations of child abuse, while a deserved outcome, is also a deeply unsettling reminder of how easily children’s safety can be compromised, even in spaces meant to protect them.
Schools are entrusted not only with the education, but with the care, dignity, and security of our children. When that trust is violated, it becomes much bigger than an individual crime; it is a sign that the very system is failing.
It should go without saying that children must be safe in classrooms, just as they must be safe at home and in every other environment they inhabit. There can be no ambiguity on this: Abuse -- whether physical, emotional, or psychological -- has no place in a child’s upbringing, and certainly no place in an educational institution.
What makes such incidents persist is a troubling social mindset that still views beating, threats, or humiliation as acceptable ways to control or “discipline” children. This belief is harmful on many fronts, as it teaches children that force equates to authority, that silence is dutiful, and that suffering is something to be endured rather than prevented.
This mentality must be challenged at every level. Schools need strict oversight, clear child protection policies, and zero tolerance for abuse. It is high time that we begin prioritizing training teachers and administrators in positive discipline, child psychology, and ethical responsibility.
Parents and caregivers must simultaneously be encouraged and supported to move away from punitive practices toward approaches based on understanding and communication.
Protecting children is neither optional nor situational -- it is a moral obligation. A society that excuses violence against its children undermines its own future.
If we are serious about raising a generation that is confident, compassionate, and secure, then we must be equally serious about ending all forms of abuse -- decisively and without exception.
