bdnews24.com :
The Jatiya Party says it is ’embarrassed’ by MP AKM Salim Osman’s action after he publicly shamed a school headmaster in Narayanganj.
“The whole incident is embarrassing. No such incident has ever occurred in Jatiya Party’s history,” Co-Chairman GM Quader told bdnews24.com on Monday. “We had never received complaints of any leader or activist of our party humiliating someone like this. This issue has tainted the party’s image.”
Quader’s reaction came a day after Health Minister and Awami League leader Mohammed Nasim said Narayanganj-5 lawmaker
Osman ‘should never come to Parliament if he has an ounce of shame’.
On May 13, Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, the head teacher of Piyar Sattar Latif High School at Narayanganj’s Bandar Upazila, was beaten by a mob and made to do sit-ups holding his ears in public in presence of Osman for allegedly insulting Islam. The incident sparked a storm of nationwide protest and the government dissolved the school’s managing committee, which had sacked the Hindu teacher following the incident.
Bhakta, however, was reinstated, while Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said a government inquiry had not found any truth in the allegations levelled against the teacher. Under-fire Salim, a businessman-turned-politician from the powerful Osman family, had joined the Jatiya Party after his elder brother AKM Nasim Osman died in 2014. He was elected from Nasim’s Narayanganj-5 constituency in June that year.
GM Quader said, “The incident has drawn massive negative reaction from the party leaders and activists. Many have called me in the past few days and all of them expressed frustration. “None of them have ever seen something like this happening in Jatiya Party.” Salim Osman has already declared that he would ‘never apologise’ to the teacher who he claimed had ‘blasphemed against Allah’.
Osman has written a letter to the Jatiya Party policymakers over the incident. He also spoke to party Chairman HM Ershad. “The chairman is yet to make any official statement. In the letter, he (Osman) explained his position over the matter. We’ll look into that,” Quader, Ershad’s younger brother, said.
Asked about their likely steps, the Jatiya Party co-chairman said, “The government has taken this seriously and formed a probe committee. A court has also issued a ruling on this matter.”
“We are yet to get the committee’s report. The party’s policymaking body will make a decision on the matter after getting the report.” Quader said action could be taken against any leader or activist following the party constitution if they tarnish the party’s image or do something against the party’s interest.
The Jatiya Party says it is ’embarrassed’ by MP AKM Salim Osman’s action after he publicly shamed a school headmaster in Narayanganj.
“The whole incident is embarrassing. No such incident has ever occurred in Jatiya Party’s history,” Co-Chairman GM Quader told bdnews24.com on Monday. “We had never received complaints of any leader or activist of our party humiliating someone like this. This issue has tainted the party’s image.”
Quader’s reaction came a day after Health Minister and Awami League leader Mohammed Nasim said Narayanganj-5 lawmaker
Osman ‘should never come to Parliament if he has an ounce of shame’.
On May 13, Shyamal Kanti Bhakta, the head teacher of Piyar Sattar Latif High School at Narayanganj’s Bandar Upazila, was beaten by a mob and made to do sit-ups holding his ears in public in presence of Osman for allegedly insulting Islam. The incident sparked a storm of nationwide protest and the government dissolved the school’s managing committee, which had sacked the Hindu teacher following the incident.
Bhakta, however, was reinstated, while Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said a government inquiry had not found any truth in the allegations levelled against the teacher. Under-fire Salim, a businessman-turned-politician from the powerful Osman family, had joined the Jatiya Party after his elder brother AKM Nasim Osman died in 2014. He was elected from Nasim’s Narayanganj-5 constituency in June that year.
GM Quader said, “The incident has drawn massive negative reaction from the party leaders and activists. Many have called me in the past few days and all of them expressed frustration. “None of them have ever seen something like this happening in Jatiya Party.” Salim Osman has already declared that he would ‘never apologise’ to the teacher who he claimed had ‘blasphemed against Allah’.
Osman has written a letter to the Jatiya Party policymakers over the incident. He also spoke to party Chairman HM Ershad. “The chairman is yet to make any official statement. In the letter, he (Osman) explained his position over the matter. We’ll look into that,” Quader, Ershad’s younger brother, said.
Asked about their likely steps, the Jatiya Party co-chairman said, “The government has taken this seriously and formed a probe committee. A court has also issued a ruling on this matter.”
“We are yet to get the committee’s report. The party’s policymaking body will make a decision on the matter after getting the report.” Quader said action could be taken against any leader or activist following the party constitution if they tarnish the party’s image or do something against the party’s interest.
