Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor freedom fighter Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury has called upon teachers to play a role in establishing peace and order in the country by making students aware of rumours about the anti-quota movement.
He made the call at an opinion exchange meeting with the heads of the educational institutions run by CCC and teacher leaders at the CCC Disaster Management Building at Laldighirpar in the city on Thursday. The meeting was arranged to share preparations of the teachers regarding normalisation of academic activities when the educational institutions, which remained closed due to the anti-quota movement, will open.
The mayor said, “I was in the field since the beginning of the anti-quota movement. I have no complaint against the young students. Taking advantage of the simplicity of the students, the anti-independence forces have carried out acts of sabotage in the country. Realising their conspiracy, common students returned home. The state has also taken steps to reform the quota system as per the demands of the students. However, teachers should play a role in preventing those involved in vandalism from misleading ordinary students and creating unrest in the country.”
"Teachers should counsel students when educational institutions open. You [teachers] talk to parents and ask colleagues to counsel students. Teachers should play a role in ensuring that students do not destroy their golden future due to the instigation of anti-independence forces. I think our lack of cultural practice is responsible for the current situation. That is why a part of academic activities should be kept every week for children's mental development through cultural activities.”
Commenting that the anti-liberation forces have carried out the acts of sabotage in the country out of anger at being defeated in the war of liberation, the mayor said, “Using the anti-quota movement, the anti-independence forces have tried to implement the outline of the country's destruction in the name of the movement. There will be differences of opinion. There is no saying that everyone will join my party. But the country belongs to everyone. Otherwise, why the attack on all the facilities that play a role in the development of the country? The vandals brutally killed the policemen and hung the bodies. Pro-independence students were brutally thrown from a six-storey building in Muradpur. They have selectively attacked the important institutions of the country and the dreams of the people. Did the students do these?
In the meeting, the mayor demanded exemplary punishment of the saboteurs, saying that the freedom of the country should be secured by rooting them out. Their friends, financiers, supporters should also be identified. If they are not punished, they will repeatedly threaten the freedom of our country, he said.
In the meeting, the heads of various educational institutions said that to compensate the academic loss of the students due to the agitation, the speed of the educational programmes should be increased, if necessary, the holidays should also be utilised. Teachers and students need to be careful in using social media. Any student who behaves suspiciously should be kept under monitoring. When the educational institutions open, the teachers should sit with the students and parents and create awareness about any propaganda against the state. If any teacher or student engages in any provocative activities, the administration must be informed. Along with academic activities, cultural activities should be inculcated among the students. Students should know the golden history of liberation war, the teachers said.
CCC Secretary Mohammad Ashraful Amin, Panel Mayor Gias Uddin, Councillor Abdus Salam Masum, heads of educational institutions and teacher leaders, among others, spoke at the opinion exchange meeting, which was moderated by Mayor's Private Secretary Muhammad Abul Hashem.
