Viqarunnisa students continue demo demanding teacher’s release

Students of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College continued their demonstration for the third day today demanding release of their teacher Hasna Hena.

She was arrested in a case filed over “provoking the suicide” of ninth-grader Aritry Adhikary on Wednesday. A Dhaka court denied Hena bail and sent her to jail on the following day.

After today’s examinations, around 100 current students, some teachers and guardians took position in front of the main entrance to the institution in the capital's Bailey Road around 11:45am.

The protesters vowed to continue their demo until the release of Hasna Hena while talking to the journalists. The students of class 11 also announced to boycott their classes as all the students except HSC first-year are taking annual examination at present.

Meanwhile, the school level students will continue sitting for protest every day after taking their exams till their demands are met, the protesters announced.

The protesting students ended their programme around 01:30pm with a press briefing.

The annual examinations of the school resumed yesterday after three days of protest over the suicide of Aritry.

Photo: Prabir Das

Meanwhile, the students of class 11 announced to boycott their classes until the release of Hasna Hena as all the students except HSC first-year are taking annual examination at present.

On Thursday, the students, who were protesting the death of Aritry, decided to go back to class and attend exams after being assured that their six-point demand would be fulfilled following a meeting with the school teachers.

The death of Aritry and the subsequent agitation, joined by parents and guardians, rocked the 66-year-old institution and prompted the education ministry, the school authorities and the law enforcement agencies to take action.

Three teachers -- acting principal Nazneen Ferdous, morning shift in-charge Zinat Akhtar, and class teacher Hena -- have been suspended following an education ministry order.

Meanwhile, the authorities appointed Assistant Professor Hasina Begum as its acting principal as the immediate past acting principal had been suspended over the suicide.

Photo: Prabir Das

Another teacher of the institution, Mohsin Talukder, was made the morning shift in-charge. Zinat Akhtar, one the three suspended teachers, had been in that post.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ARITRY ADHIKARY?

Aritry Adhikary, a ninth grader, was found hanging from the ceiling of her home in the capital's Shantinagar on Monday (December 3) hours after she and her parents were allegedly insulted by some teachers of the school.

The death and the subsequent agitation, joined by parents, rocked the 66-year-old institute and prompted the education ministry and the school authorities to form two separate probe committees.

FAMILY SHATTERED

Holding the certificates of his daughter close to his chest, Dilip cried the entire time while talking to this correspondent.

"My daughter knew seven different languages and got an award from British Council  as best book reader,” he said, adding Aritry had secured GPA-5 in her  Primary Education Completion Examination and Junior School Certificate examinations in 2014 and 2017.

"I pleaded with them to give my daughter a second chance. Aritry even tried to hold the teachers' leg,” he said.