No respite from campus bullying in Bangladesh

There is no respite from bullying in educational institutions as incidents of intimidation and torture of students are frequently reported from different universities, colleges and even schools.

Educationalists, psychologists and sociologists termed bullying a social scourge and said it was a result of educational system which did not allow for recreational activities but permitted the use of students’ bodies as instruments of control in the campuses. They also pointed to maltreatment within family and educational institutional environment which often lead to bullying behaviour.

The culture of bullying at universities and colleges across the country and its rising frequency only came to wider notice after the gruesome murder of BUET student Abrar Fahad on October 7, 2019, which was an example of political intolerant involving Chhatra League leaders.

Protests also erupted calling the authorities to take measures to check bullying in the university after Abrar, an electrical and electronic engineering second-year student, was beaten to death reportedly for his critical remarks on Facebook over the government’s early October 2019 deals with India.

Later, the BUET authorities expelled 26 students for their alleged involvement in the murder after a massive protest.

For bullying fellow students, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology on February 14 suspended three students, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University on the same day expelled five students for different terms, Patuakhali Science & Technology University on January 24 expelled 15 students for one term, Barishal Institute of Health Technology on January 19 expelled four students for different terms, Jahangirnagar University on December 19, 2019  expelled 11 students for one year and Rajshahi University on December 8, 2019 expelled one student for one year.

On January 22, a second year student of Noakhali University of Science and Technology bullied a first year student as the former thought that the junior student did not address him properly.

At Dhaka University, a number of students alleged the junior resident students are compelled to attend  orientation programmes at dormitory guest rooms and processions of ruling Awami League’s student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League. 

First year students are forced to attend such orientation programmes four days a week and based on the seniority of the victims, the frequency reduces, they alleged and added that absence from such programmes are ‘punishable’ by slapping, abuse and even ousting from the hall.

BCL activists allegedly beat up juniors for skipping political programmes, not showing proper allegiance or on allegation of involvement with other political parties.

The first year students are assigned the ‘Gano Room’ — a room where they are allowed to stay on condition of participating in political programmes of the ruling party’s student body.

On January 21, BCL leaders and activists tortured four students at Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall of Dhaka University suspecting them of being activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Against the backdrop frequent bullying incidents at educational institutions, the High Court on January 12 directed the government to form in three months anti-bullying committees and squads at all the educational institutions, especially at the universities and affiliated colleges across the country.

The bullying incidents at universities and colleges seems to mirror what happens at slums where there are no recreational and creative activities, Dhaka University professor emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury told New Age.

It seems, as if they are slums for the educated, he said and added that since the country’s educational system was devoid of any joy, there are no recreational or creative activities which is making the powerful groups ferocious in educational institutions.

‘As a remedial measure, at least elections to the central students’ unions of universities and colleges should be held annually,’ he said.

Dhaka University sociology professor Shah Ehsan Habib described the incidents of bullying in universities and colleges as the dominance of the ruling party’s student organisation. He dubbed it as ‘vicious cycle’ where money, power and political expediency are involved. 

He also said that student organisations, patronised by certain quarters at the helm, often acted as an associate body of the law enforcement agencies as they merely became instrument for political gain, curbing activities by opposition quarters and resist dissent, he added. 

He stressed the need for a strong political will to create student leaders and activists having a good grounding in political ideology. He added that honesty and respect for justice and human rights and tolerance towards dissent were qualities they needed.

UNICEF-released report ‘An Everyday Lesson: #ENDviolence in Schools’ in September 2018 said that in Bangladesh, 35 per cent of students aged between 13 and 15 reported being bullied one day or more in the preceding 30 days or being involved in a physical fight at least once in 2014. There is no recent study on victims of bullying in the country.

Following the suicide of Aritry Adhikary, a ninth grader of Viqarunnisa Noon School, after her teachers mistreated with her parents in her presence, a High Court bench in 2018 in a suo moto rule directed the government to prepare an anti-bullying policy to help prevent students from taking their own lives.

On May 13, 2019, the education ministry submitted the draft School Bullying Prevention Policy 2019 to the HC. The court on July 10, 2019 ordered the government to set up complaint boxes in educational institutions and to sensitise students to place complaints about discourteous, annoying and indecent behaviour as well as incidents of intimidation.

Teachers should be trained in controlling classes without bullying or giving corporeal punishments and at the same time they should be empowered to take alternative actions, Dhaka University psychology professor Md Kamal Uddin said.    

A member of the policy-drafting committee, professor Abdul Mannan, who was a director of Secondary and Higher Education and now working in the committee to celebrate Mujib Barsha, said that he was not aware of the latest development of the policy at present.

He, in late November 2019, told New Age that the policy with provisions for punishment of offenders was in the final stage.

Psychology professor Md Kamal Uddin said that the students usually bully others due to the primitive instinct of demonstrating power or superiority over others.

‘They don’t realise that the victims might undergo mental trauma, alienation, or even become self-destructive,’ he added.

In most cases, he said, those who bully others either have weaknesses which they want to hide or were themselves bullied by their peers, teachers or family members.

So, they need counselling while the victims required support from their teachers and parents, he pointed out.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net