A schoolteacher detained in Kushtia over allegations of making derogatory and objectionable remarks about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been released.
Police escorted the teacher home from Daulatpur Police Station around 11:30pm on Wednesday following instructions from the prime minister.
Golam Kibria Lalon, who teaches Bangla at Pragpur Secondary School, was detained from the Pragpur area around 11am.
In a Facebook post later that night, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said tensions had arisen among students and parents in Daulatpur after a schoolteacher allegedly made derogatory and objectionable remarks about the prime minister in a classroom.
He said the prime minister became upset after learning of the incident and instructed the concerned police station to release the teacher respectfully and ensure his safe return home.
Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-charge Khaledur Rahman said they had received instructions to release the teacher and had escorted him home respectfully.
Lalon was teaching Bangla to Grade 10 students around 3pm on Tuesday when the discussion turned to Tarique Rahman’s recent speech in Bangla at the United Nations.
Students alleged that the teacher made comments about the prime minister’s Bangla pronunciation.
They further claimed that he later made objectionable remarks mentioning the prime minister by name, triggering discontent among students in the classroom.
After the class ended, students informed their families about the matter, which then spread throughout the locality.
On Wednesday morning, several parents and local residents gathered on the school premises and demanded action against the teacher. Police later arrived at the scene, brought the situation under control, and took Lalon into custody.
