Staff Reporter :
Thousands of teachers, students, employees and guardians have raised their voices against militancy and vowed to root out it from the country.
They said this at human chains formed in all the public and private universities, colleges, schools and madrasas across the country on Monday. The educational institutions formed the human chains responding to the call of University Grants Commission (UGC).
At all the human chains, teachers, students and guardians were seen holding different festoons and placards written with “We don’t support militancy”, “Islam also doesn’t support it”, “Militancy is the curse of the world”, “No militancy in Bangladesh”, “We want non-communal society”, “Protest militancy, save Bangladesh.” They also chanted slogans against the militancy and its masterminds. The teachers, students and guardians remembered the victims with due respect who were killed in Gulshan and Solakia terror attacks. Dhaka University formed a human chain in the morning at the base of Aparajeyo Bangla on the campus protesting the terror attacks.
The teachers, students and employees from all departments and faculties, research centres took part in the human chain. No class was taken during the programme. Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique led the human chain while President of Dhaka University Teachers’ Association Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed and General Secretary Professor Maksud Kamal were present.
Sadia Noor Khan, a lecturer of Department of Banking and Insurance of Dhaka University, taking part in the human chain, said, “Bangladesh is a non-communal country. Its people do not support militancy or any kind of terrorism in the society. The teachers and the guardians should play important role to prevent militancy. Dhaka University already has raised its voice against militancy. So it is now a matter of time to root out the terrorism from the country.”
Like the Dhaka University, the educational institutions all over the country also raised their voices against militancy and offered it good-bye. Fatema Begum, an Assistant Teacher of Amzad Ali Sarkar Pilot Girls High School and College, said, “We want peace. We want a peaceful society also. We never support militancy in the name of Islam. Islam doesn’t support militancy or terrorism. To define it among the students and guardians we have arranged human chain like the other institutions across the country.” “We have asked the guardians to increase surveillance on their children. We have also arranged discussions for the students and the guardian to create awareness about militancy. I think the problem will not be longer,” Fatema Begum said.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said the educational institutions, which follow foreign curriculum, were instructed to include Bangladesh’s culture, heritage and history.
If the educational institutions fail to implement the instruction, then those cannot survive, he said while addressing a human chain programme at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka in the morning.
The programme was oragnised to create awareness against militancy and terrorism in the wake of recent terror attacks in the country.
There will be various types of educational systems like vocational and religious but the target should be production of good and patriotic citizens, the minister said. University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Abdul Mannan and National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Harun-or-Rashid spoke on the occasion, among others..
