Police Identify Schoolgirls Over ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’ Graffiti, Raising Fears of Student Harassment

❐ Staff representative

The incident of a group of schoolgirls writing slogans including ‘Joy Bangla’, ‘Joy Bangabandhu’, ‘Joy Sheikh Hasina’ and ‘I’m back again in December’ on a wall in a lane in Sheikhpara, opposite Chuadanga Government Girls’ High School, has created a sensation on social media, as well as concerns about the safety of the students.

Police say that analysis of CCTV footage has revealed the involvement of several students of Chuadanga Government Girls’ High School in the slogan-writing incident.

The matter came to the attention of local residents on Thursday afternoon, November 5. The previous day, Wednesday, November 4, during the day, some school students went to the alley to celebrate a birthday. Locals later alleged that they were the ones who wrote these slogans on the walls of the houses.

When the incident became known, the Sadar Police Station inspected the scene. Later, the school authorities removed the writings from the wall.

On the spot, it was seen that ‘Joy Bangla’, ‘Joy Hasina’, ‘Mujib Sena’ and ‘Firchi Abar December’ were written in black and white spray paint on the wall of a house in that street in Sheikhpara. These slogans are seen as slogans related to the Awami League and the party’s political activities.

Local BNP-Jamaat extremist activists say that it is unbelievable that schoolgirls came and wrote these slogans on the walls in broad daylight! It is not at all expected that students of an educational institution would do such a thing. Even though they are young, it is important to suppress what they have already started.

At the same time, local conscious circles have also criticized the police and administration. They say that the way the schoolchildren are being discussed and criticized for writing some slogans has raised concerns about their safety. There are political terrorists, but looking at the state of the police and administration, it seems that a very large criminal gang has been found.

Cultural activist Md. Azad said that apart from maintaining law and order in the country, the police have many important tasks. But such actions of the police towards schoolchildren are definitely condemnable.

Meanwhile, Chuadanga Government Girls High School headmaster Sheikh Rezaul Karim said on his mobile phone, “After learning about the incident, I informed the Deputy Commissioner about the matter. Later, on his instructions, the writings were deleted by the school’s assistants. Some students have been identified by looking at the CCTV footage. An investigation will be conducted to find out who was involved in the incident and why the students did such a thing. Necessary action will be taken after the investigation.”

Chuadanga Sadar Police Station Investigation Officer Himel Rana said, “After learning about the incident, the police have started an investigation. After reviewing the CCTV footage, the involvement of some students of Chuadanga Government Girls High School in the incident has been confirmed. An investigation is being conducted to see whether they wrote these slogans on the wall under someone’s instructions or instigation.”

Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu slogans in the classroom: TC to 9 students together

The school authorities have issued a discharge certificate (TC) to nine students of classes 8, 9 and 10 of Gopalganj Government District School for chanting the slogan ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’ in the classroom.

The accused students were released on Thursday, November 5, based on the investigation report. The matter was confirmed by the school’s headmaster, Md. Ziaul Haque.

According to school sources, on October 6, after the afternoon tiffin, some students raised political slogans inside the classroom. It was alleged that they were raising Awami League slogans at that time. Later, a video of the incident was recorded on a mobile phone and spread on social media Facebook. The video instantly went viral.

The day after the incident, on October 7, a 7-member investigation committee headed by the school’s assistant teacher Md. Iqbal Hossain was formed. The investigation committee prepared a report after reviewing the school’s CCTV footage and the video that was circulated.

The report was submitted to the headmaster on Wednesday, November 4. Based on this, the authorities decided to grant exemption to the nine students.

Iqbal Hossain, the head assistant teacher of the investigation committee, said that the investigation report has been submitted to the headmaster after reviewing the video footage of the incident of political slogans being raised in the school. In view of this, the students have been given exemption certificates as per the decision of the school authorities.

Headmaster Md. Ziaul Haque said that on October 6, some students chanted Awami League slogans inside the school. He was praying at the time of the incident. Later, after the prayer, the intelligence agency called him and asked about the procession.

He then confirmed the matter with other teachers. Later, as per the instructions of higher authorities, this decision was taken against the accused students.