Leftist leader and rape of school girls

by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
July 6, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1574/leftist-leader-and-rape-of-school-girls

Viqarunnisa School and College enjoys high esteem and dignity for decades of being one of the finest educational institutions in Bangladesh. The school was established decades back by a local philanthropist with the goal of giving better education to the girl students in the country. Since its establishment, hundreds and thousands of students came out of Viqarunnisa School and College on completion of college hood and many of them are now holding numerous important positions in Bangladeshi society. Leftist politician and leader of Workers Party in Bangladesh, Rashed Khan Menon was made the chairman of the governing body of this institution, when Bangladesh Awami League led coalition got landslide victory during election in 2008.

Menon hailing from an educated and high-profile family, in personal life is also a well educated and soft-spoken individual. But, there is serious question mark on his role as a politician. Being a leftist, he is accused of being involved in several incidents including connection with the left aligned terrorist groups in the southern part of Bangladesh. But, possibly the worst-ever dirt in his entire political career came just recently when a number of female students of school section of Viqarunnisa School and College came up with the allegations of being raped by the male teachers.

When Bangladesh Awami League led 'Grand Alliance' government came in power in January 2009 and their leftist coalition partner Worker's Party leader Rashed Khan Menon bace the chairman of the governing board of Viqarunnisa School and College, fresh recruitment of teachers took place, where a number of male teachers were appointed violating the appointment rule of the institution. It is learnt that, major segment of these teachers either are activists of Bangladesh Awami League or Worker's Part. Most of the teachers of Viqarunnisa School and College [male and female] engage in private coaching after school-hours at their residences, thus giving coaching to the female students of the institution.

According to allegation lodged by a female student of class 10 at Viqarunnisa School and College, Parimal Joydhar, the male teacher of Bangla subject was giving coaching to the students at his residence located at Bashundhara residential area in Dhaka since he was appointed after Rashed Khan Menon became the chairman of the governing body of Viqarunnisa School and College. Parimal Joydhar, during his student life, was connected to Bangladesh Chhatra League.

The allegation says, Parimal Joydhar forcefully raped the female student at his residence, when she went for evening-hour coaching on Bangla subject from him. The teacher not only raped her, but also video graphed her in nudity, thus later threatening her of uploading these contents on the web, if the girl would disclose this issue of sexual violence to anyone. When the same culprit raped the same student on another day, she reported the matter to her parents and subsequently a complaint was lodged with the authorities of Viqarunnisa School and College. But, surprisingly, authorities did not take any action against the accused teacher for reason unknown.

On condition of anonymity, a student of Viqarunnisa School and College said, Parimal Joydhar is married and has a son. But there are series of allegation against him of raping students at his residence, when they went for coaching to him.

Guardians of Viqarunnisa School and College said, "Parimal Joydhar has violated several students of the school and many of those victims did not speak out fearing social adversities."

Sadia Afrin, guardian of a student of Viqarunnisa School and College told reporters that, Parimal Joydhar joined the institution a year back. Five more male teachers were also appointed during the same time. All of these six teachers are accused of physical and sexual violence of female students.

Another guardian named Shamimul Huq said, "These newly appointed teachers rented a house just behind the campus of Viqarunnisa School and College. They were giving coaching to the students after school hours at this place. All of them are accused of immoral behavior with the students as well as numerous incidents of sexual violence."

Authorities of Viqarunnisa School and College did not lodge complaint with the local police station against Parimal Joydhar and others, who are already accused of sexual violence. It is also alleged that, principal of Viqarunnisa School and College, Hosne Ara Begum tried her best to suppress these incidents for reason unknown. It is anticipated that, she had hands in appointment of these male teachers, violating the appointment rules of Viqarunnisa School and College. She even tried to apply threatening tactics with the complaining guardians and students and tried her best to defend the culprit teachers. Later at the massive pressure from the guardians as well as demonstration by the students of Viqarunnisa School and College, management of the institution supended Parimal Joydhar [teacher of Bangla subject], Barun Chandra Barman [teacher of commerce subject], Abul Kalam Azad [teacher of religious studies and head of the Bashundhara campus of Viqarunnisa School and College, Lutfor Rahman.

Sexual violence of female students by the male teachers is nothing new with Viqarunnisa School and College. There are similar incidents at many of the top-ranking educational institutions in the country, where, male teachers are appointed to teach female students. There is even allegation against some of the female teachers of a leading English medium school in Dhaka of doing immoral activities with the female students of engaging them are sex trade. These female teachers maintain connection with highly affluent people in the society and provide them with girls from their schools on a regular basis. Similar allegation drug addictions as well as sexual scandals are heard against the students of a private university in Dhaka. Sexual violence of female students even took place at Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka during the previous and current rule of Bangladesh Awami League. During 1996-2001 tenure of this party, hundreds of students of Jahangirnagar University were gang-raped by the activists of the student front of Awami League. And very unfortunately, the culprits were mostly left unpunished simply because of their political affiliations.

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