2 govt teachers suspended over ‘critical’ coronavirus-related FB posts

The Education Ministry has suspended two government college teachers for their “critical Facebook posts” over the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors during the time of coronavirus.

The suspended teachers are Kazi Zakia, an associate professor of Gafargaon Government College in Mymensingh, and Shahadat Ullah Kayser, a lecturer at Barisal Government Women's College.

The Secondary and Higher Education Division on Wednesday suspended them on the ground that their Facebook posts went against the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules-2018. 

Two separate orders signed by Mahbub Hossain, secretary of the division, stated that all ministries, departments and agencies of the government concerned were taking coordinated steps at various levels to contain coronavirus.

In such circumstances, the "unwarranted and inciting" Facebook posts were inconsistent with the government's ongoing initiatives, the orders added.

The teachers were also served show-cause notices asking them to explain within seven days why the authorities would not initiate departmental action against them.