Madrasa teacher held for forced haircut of students

A madrasha teacher has been arrested for allegedly trimming the hair of seven students of the religious school in Lakshmipur.

The arrest comes barely 10 days after Sirajganj-based Rabindra University teacher Farhana Yeasmin Baten was suspended for allegedly trimming the hair of 14 students as “punishment” on September 26.

The Lakshmipur incident took place on September 18 at Hamsadi-Kazir Dighirpar Alim Madrasha in Raipur upazila but a video of the same went viral on social media on Friday, prompting the cops to contact the parents of the students.

Manjurul Kabir, the teacher, was picked up from his home in the upazila on Friday night on a complaint from a parent, police said on Saturday.

“Shaheda Begum, the mother of a student, lodged a complaint at Raipur police station in this regard on Friday,” said Palash Kanti Nath, additional superintendent of police.

According to the case statement, the madrasha teacher had trimmed the hair of the seven students of the madrasha as they did not comply with his repeated requests of getting a haircut.

The accused teacher, however, claimed it was a conspiracy to defame the madrasha.

“The madrasha committee is looking into it.”