Teachers are supposed to protect, not fatally punish students

We are shocked at the death of a ninth-grade student – Raj Pratap Das – allegedly at the hands of his own teachers at the Kaliganj upazila of Satkhira. According to witnesses and locals, Raj passed away hours after several of his school teachers "tortured" him. One of his peers said Raj and several other students had bought a cake to celebrate the birthday of two peers. They were cutting the cake in an empty classroom when Assistant Head Teacher MA Muhit, assistant teachers Abakash Chandra Kha, Monirul Islam and Sidhartha Roy Chowdhury, and several others barged in and started beating them. One of the teachers even kicked Raj on his chest.

After the initial beating, Raj and three other students were taken to the headteacher's room and assaulted again. Reportedly, he and another student then fell to the floor and touched the headteacher's feet asking for mercy, after which they were dismissed. Following such hideous treatment, Raj fell sick and left for home, but only to die within half an hour.

The episode as described in our report sounds almost unreal. How could teachers, whose primary responsibility is to care for students and make sure they stay safe, stoop so low as to beat one to death? And that, too, for celebrating the birthday of his fellow students? Raj and his friends had committed no crime nor any indiscretion. And even if they were guilty of any misdemeanour, under no circumstances can an adult teacher raise their hands on a minor student.

The teachers in question have denied the allegations, claiming they simply slapped Raj twice for celebrating birthdays at school – which itself is completely out of line – and had scolded others. The headteacher also made the insensitive remark that Raj had likely committed suicide out of shame. Regardless of which version of the story is true, what it shows is that these teachers completely lacked any sensitivity to teach anyone, and that their action contributed to Raj's death. But to find out to what extent, there needs to be an immediate and thorough investigation into the matter.

Should they be found guilty, the teachers must be punished so that such incidents never happen again at our educational institutions. Schools and colleges across the country must be reminded that their teachers and staff cannot lay hands on students and that the latter deserve to be treated with care.