Viqarunnisa Noon School and College “in Crisis”

Bangla teacher Porimol Joydhor admitted to sexually assaulting the class-X female student of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College’s Bashundhara branch on Sunday. He was arrested earlier in the month from Keraniganj after the girl’s father filed a case accusing of repeated rape at his coaching center. What is particularly disturbing is the delayed action by the principals of the school’s main branch as well as the Bonshundhara branch after the news came about. The girl’s father has also filed cases against the two principals, Hosne Ara and Lutfar Rahman, for allegedly “backing Parimal, destroying evidence and threatening the family after filing the case“.

As for details of the rape, the teacher who privately tutored the girl (among others) had taken her to a room, tied her hands and placed her cloth in her mouth to keep her quiet, and raped her on May 28th, in the morning.  He also proceeded to photograph her from his cell phone, threatening to release the pictures online and kill her if she had said anything.

This incident has involved multiple issues- the principal’s lack of immediate action being the most concerning. While sides will argue as to what exactly happened, the lack of a clear picture attests to the fact that the victim of this entire incident was not given fair attention. Students from VNSC and others protested as a result, skipping classes to do so in the main campus. It is especially disappointing, given that it is one of the  premier educational institutions in the country. Given that it is single-sex institution and thus, is supposed to educate and promote women’s leadership, the fact that crimes against the female body can take place, and not be properly addressed by the very female leaders who run the school (and then made political) is absurd.

The girl of this subject must be applauded for speaking up, when many others do not, in fear of social adversities. Because most rape victims never tell, even to their closes family and friends, there are no realistic estimates of how frequently it takes place among youth and education. As for VNSC, what this entails for their social environment must be taken seriously, independent of politics. Perhaps one way would be to actually have teachers teach in their classrooms, eliminating the need for the profitable and necessary coaching centers. Teachers cannot have so much authority, believing that they can do whatever they want to in the classroom and beyond with their behavior. Students will also need to be empowered, and know that their institution is there for their protection and will support them in any way that they are supposed to- a notion in a threat today.