Hefazat-e-Islam Demands Both Institutional and Legal Punishment for Moral Lapses in Educational Institutions

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has demanded that anyone proven guilty of a moral lapse in an educational institution should face both institutional and legal punishment. The organisation said there can be no leniency or compromise in this regard. Hefazat-e-Islam Ameer Allama Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari and Secretary General Allama Sajedur Rahman made the demand in a joint statement sent to the media on Saturday.

The organisation said the statement was issued in the context of recent allegations of moral lapses against some teachers in various educational institutions. As one allegation after another has come to light, concern has grown over student safety in educational institutions, and Hefazat's position has come against that backdrop. The statement called on all schools and madrasas to follow the instructions of their respective authorities.

The statement said that just as any unethical behaviour or child abuse in an educational institution is unacceptable, taking the law into one's own hands is also not supportable. In other words, instead of agitated action as soon as an allegation arises, exemplary justice must be ensured through fair investigation within the administrative system — the organisation highlighted both sides together.

Hefazat's statement said that Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh issued a new directive on September 19 to prevent student abuse in all types of educational institutions, including Qawmi madrasas. It is the highest education authority for Qawmi madrasas. The details of that directive were also presented in the statement, so that institutions get a clear idea of their responsibilities.

According to the directive, a student protection committee must be formed in every madrasa. If a committee already exists, it must be kept active. Any allegation of student abuse or unethical behaviour must be investigated and a report submitted within a maximum of seven days. In addition, madrasa boards have been instructed to form strong monitoring cells and launch a hotline for lodging complaints.

The statement further said that if a madrasa has no student protection committee, if the committee is inactive, or if it fails to take action on an allegation, the affiliation of that madrasa may be suspended or cancelled. Through this strict warning, the statement sought to create effective pressure on the institutions.

Hefazat leaders said that merely forming a committee will not be enough to prevent student abuse; the committee must be kept effective. After receiving a complaint, quick investigation and necessary action must be ensured. Their main emphasis was on the difference between having a committee on paper and having it work in practice.

Hefazat's statement said that children's safety and mental comfort in educational institutions must always be given priority. For this, school and madrasa authorities must follow strict policies. The statement brought out that not only physical safety, but also students' mental comfort is equally important.

The organisation's leaders also emphasised ensuring round-the-clock monitoring through CCTV cameras in educational institutions. The language of the statement suggests that the recommendation came from the reasoning that technological surveillance would reduce opportunities for unethical behaviour and make verification easier if an allegation arose.

The statement further said that today's child students are the future of tomorrow. No concession can be given in the responsibility for their proper education in childhood and adolescence and for their safe upbringing. It is from this principled position that they linked the demand for both institutional and legal punishment.

It remains to be seen how far Hefazat's demand and Al-Haiatul Ulya's directive are implemented at the field level. Whether the ongoing concern over student safety in educational institutions will ease if measures such as protection committees, investigation reports within seven days, monitoring cells and a hotline become effective will be answered only through implementation.