Head Teacher Cuts Hair of 15 Students in Naogaon, Angry Parents Demand Action

A head teacher has been accused of cutting the hair of at least 15 students of classes four and five at a school in Badalgachhi, Naogaon. Parents have become angry over the incident.

They allege that the teacher had earlier subjected students to various kinds of physical and mental abuse, including beatings. Tension prevails in the area over the incident.

The incident took place at noon yesterday, Saturday, at Kolar Palsha Government Primary School in Kola Union of the upazila.

Parents said they would lodge a written complaint against the accused head teacher, Shahidul Islam, with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and the Upazila Primary Education Office.

After a video of the incident spread on the social media platform Facebook, discussion and criticism began across the upazila. In the video, several students and parents of the school said the hair of a few students had been cut in patches, disfiguring it.

A parent named Milan said, 'I was not at home. Later, when I came home, I saw my son's hair had also been cut in patches. But he had normal hair. There was trouble at the school today over this.'

Another parent, Rocket Hossain, said the hair of 15 students had been cut in patches. The children have been left embarrassed by the way their hair was cut. The head teacher had earlier cut the eyebrow hair of a student as well. He often behaves like this with students. We want a fair trial of this incident.

Another parent, Mitu Banu, alleged, 'A few days ago my son was beaten so badly that both his legs were bleeding. Now he does not want to go to school out of fear. If a teacher behaves like this with children, how will they feel safe at school? We want proper justice for this incident.'

Asked about the allegation, Shahidul Islam, head teacher of Kolar Palsha Government Primary School, said, 'The boys' and girls' hair had grown very long. It was falling over their eyes. That is why I cut the hair of a few students.'

Asked why he cut their hair in patches instead of calling a barber to the school or talking to the parents, he said, 'They looked bad. That is why I cut the hair above their foreheads.'

Md. Saidur Rahman, acting education officer of the Upazila Primary Education Office, said, 'I have heard about the incident. I am in training. Assistant Education Officer Rahul Amin is investigating why the students' hair was cut like this.'

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Israt Jahan Chhoni said, 'I have heard about the incident. I have instructed the Primary Education Officer to take action.'