Teacher taken into police custody after alleged remarks on PM Tarique trigger ‘mob' in Kushtia

Police took a schoolteacher in 'protective custody' in Kushtia on Wednesday after remarks he allegedly made about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in a classroom prompted a group of parents and local residents to gather and try to harass him by creating ‘mob.'

Golam Kibria Lalon, a Bangla teacher at Pragpur Secondary School in Daulatpur, remained in police custody Wednesday evening, though no case had been filed against him, police said.

Md Delwar Hossain, additional superintendent of police for the Bheramara Circle, told Daily Waadaa that Kibria allegedly told students during a class: “You want to be Grade-8 pass like Prime Minister Tarique Rahman? You can't even pronounce properly like him.”

Some students later told their guardians about the remarks, Delwar said.

“I was told that some students told their guardians about this, and after hearing it some guardians and local people created a mob and tried to harass him,” he told Waadaa.

“So, after hearing such news, we went there and brought him into police custody for his own protection.”

The incident began during a Grade 10 Bangla class on Tuesday afternoon, when Kibria reportedly raised the prime minister's recent Bangla-language speech at the United Nations while discussing pronunciation.

The school's headteacher, Ashrafuzzaman Mukul, said Kibria denied making derogatory remarks about Rahman when questioned Wednesday morning.

Mukul, however, said Kibria acknowledged commenting that the prime minister's Bangla pronunciation had become somewhat unclear after spending a long period outside Bangladesh.

Parents and local residents gathered at the school Wednesday morning after the allegation spread, demanding action against the teacher.

Police subsequently intervened and took Kibria away.

“He is still in my custody. Our district SP Md Aminul Islam came and visited here. We are waiting for his decision,” Delwar said.

Asked whether any case had been filed against Kibria, Delwar said none had been filed as far as he knew.

“I am not aware of it. Maybe SP sir will give a decision,” he said.

Waadaa contacted Aminul several times for comment, but he did not answer the calls.

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