Implementation of the HC ban long overdue

The brutal torture of Omar Faruq, a 12-year-old madrasa student, by his teacher in Mymensingh has again proved the ineffectiveness of the laws to protect our children from various forms of violence that they are subject to. In this particular case, the child was not only beaten up but confined inside the madrasa for three days. He is still in an unstable condition and undergoing treatment in MMCH.

Although the High Court has imposed a ban on corporal punishment in 2010 declaring it as "cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment and a clear violation of a child's fundamental right to life, liberty and freedom," the ban is not enforced widely. Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum's Child Rights Violation Data 2018 shows that in the first three months of this year, a total of 56 students were injured as a result of physical torture at educational institutions. Only in last March, an 11-year-old madrasa student named Tauhidul Islam died after being severely beaten by his teacher.

Besides implementation of the relevant law, social awareness is a must in order to stop corporal punishment in all educational institutions. To do that, teachers as well as parents must be made aware of the harm physical punishment causes children. In addition, the issue must be covered by the media more often. And the government must have a monitoring mechanism to oversee implementation of the law. In this case, the government must ensure proper treatment of the victim and the teacher must be dealt with severely.