Mr. Kanti Lal Acharya, a Hindu by religion, was working in the capacity of Acting Head Teacher at Bhatiyari Haji Tobarak Ali Chowdhury (TAC) High School located in Sitakunda Upazila, Chattogram District since 2019.
On April 6, 2025, The Chattogram Education Board appointed Mr. Mahiuddin Ahmed who was a Jamat-e-Islami political party candidate instead of appointing the BNP political party candidate as the Chairman of the newly formed Ad-hoc committee for the school. The head teacher Acharya had absolutely no involvement in the chairman selection process that was solely the decision of the education board. Acharya was communicated by the Education Board on this on April 10, 2025.
On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, the newly appointed Chairman Mahiuddin Ahmed arrived at the school to assume his role. Acharya also went to school as part of his routine despite the fact that he was warned that he would be humiliated if he had gone to the school. As he arrived at the school, a mob of hundreds of BNP supporters led by Nurul Anwar, President of the BNP’s Bhatiyari union unit, showed up and forcefully asked him to sign his resignation letter containing a statement that he was resigning due to his own corruption activities. As Acharya refused to sign, the BNP mob harassed him and forced him to sign a different resignation letter citing ‘personal reasons’ for his resignation. Acharya signed the resignation letter under duress to save his life. Both Nurul Anwar and the newly appointed Chair Mahiuddin Ahmed were present at the time.
This is how Hindu religious minorities are being attacked and robbed of their right to live that includes right to livelihood in Bangladesh since August 5, 2024 under the leadership of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
Victims: Kanti Lal Acharya and his family. Hindu religious minorities in Bangladesh.
Location of attack: Bhatiyari Haji Tobarak Ali Chowdhury (TAC) High School, Sitakunda Upazila, Chattogram District, Bangladesh
Date of the attack: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
News media: The Daily Star
Social media:
The below news is published by the Daily Star on April 19, 2025:
Teacher forced to resign amid BNP-Jamaat rift in Ctg
The acting headteacher of Bhatiyari Haji Tobarak Ali Chowdhury (TAC) High School in Chattogram’s Sitakunda was allegedly forced to resign on Wednesday due to a rift between local leaders of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Kanti Lal Acharya, the acting headteacher, claimed he was compelled to sign a resignation letter after the newly formed ad hoc school committee appointed a Jamaat-backed individual as chairman. He alleged that over a hundred BNP activists, led by Nurul Anwar, president of the BNP’s Bhatiyari union unit, came to the school and harassed him.
On Thursday, his daughter Bhavna Acharya posted a video of the incident on Facebook, triggering widespread criticism against BNP.
“You know, we girls can’t sleep at night after watching the video of our father being humiliated. Think about it: he’s not just a teacher, he’s our father. Tell me, how would you feel if this happened to your own father?” Bhavna wrote.
Bhavna wrote, “You know, before the trouble started at the school, my father was advised not to go there. They said he would face humiliation if he did. In response, my father said, ‘I have done nothing wrong. I have committed no crime. If I am asked to step down from my position, I will do so without hesitation. Even then, I will go to the school. Why should I run away? Let anyone bring proof if they think I have done something wrong.'”
Meanwhile, in response to her post, local BNP leaders held a press conference, denouncing the incident as a conspiracy by Jamaat. They accused the acting headteacher of corruption and demanded his resignation.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Kanti Lal said the education board approved an ad hoc committee on April 6, and he was informed on April 10.
“Based on recommendations from local leaders of BNP and Jamaat, and guardians, I forwarded three names to the district administration through the local education officer. Among them, the Jamaat-backed candidate Mahiuddin Ahmed was appointed chairman,” he said.
“I had no role in the final selection,” he added.
“On April 16, when Mahiuddin arrived at the school to assume the role of chairman, hundreds of BNP supporters showed up and created havoc. They forced me to resign. I signed the letter under duress to save my life.”
He further alleged, “At first, they asked me to sign a statement saying I was resigning due to corruption. When I refused, they harassed me and then forced me to sign another letter citing ‘personal reasons’ for my resignation. Both Nurul Anwar and Mahiuddin Ahmed were present at the time.”
When contacted, Nurul Anwar said Kanti Lal had served as acting headteacher since 2019 and during this time misappropriated funds meant for a Shaheed Minar and collected extra money during admissions. He claimed guardians and students had long been demanding his removal.
He denied any BNP involvement in the incident, claiming Jamaat activists were trying to shift the blame. He said he visited the school that day at the request of local guardians and former students, though he admitted he had no documentary proof of the corruption allegations.
Mahiuddin Ahmed, chairman of the ad hoc committee, said if there were corruption allegations against the acting headteacher, they should have been addressed through legal channels.
He claimed the incident was the result of misinformation spread among senior BNP leaders by local opportunists.
“I am a supporter of Jamaat. My name was recommended by Jamaat, while BNP also proposed another candidate. The education board selected me from the three names submitted, though I am unaware of the basis for that decision,” he said.
Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Fakhrul Islam said, following a written complaint from the acting headteacher, the Chattogram Education Board had asked him to submit an investigation report within four days.
“We are currently reaching out to all involved. No further comments can be made until the probe is complete,” he said.
He also confirmed that no formal corruption complaint against the teacher had been received.
