Family won’t press charges against squat punishment teacher

The family of a boy who landed in hospital after his teacher forced him to do 500 squats as a punishment has decided not to file a case against the teacher after he apologised to the student and his family on Monday.

In a traditional gesture of apology, the teacher asked for forgiveness while touching young Panir’s foot. The head teacher now no longer threatens Panir’s sister either.

Panir’s teacher Fatema told the Dhaka Tribune: “I saw the head teacher at the school. He did not ask for any money or verbally abuse me. He did not even talk to me. After looking at me, he just left the place quietly.”

The head teacher, Alfaj Hussain, had threatened Fatema after beating her brother, Panir, and forcing him to do 500 squats. 

He verbally abused Panir’s sister, Fatema Akhter, 16, inside the school premises on Monday.  Alfaj demanded Tk5,000 from her to sit the SSC exams.

Md Panir Hossain, a seventh grader at Jurain Hajera High School in the capital’s Kodomtoli area was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Sunday after one of his teachers beat him and forced him to do 500 squats while holding his ears.

On his way back home from school, he fainted on the road and was later taken to hospital by his mother with severe pain in his legs and back.

The boy was apparently being punished for playing a juvenile prank on a classmate.

When asked why he had demanded Tk5,000 from Fatema, Alfaj Hussain got angry and told the Dhaka Tribune: “Talk to the parents. Now that the matter is solved, why are you disturbing me?”

He hung up, and switched the phone off.

Panir’s brother Polash Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune: “I am happy that we got justice. Alfaj Sir cried and begged for forgiveness. I talked to my Abbu and Ammu and they said they would not file a case.”

Panir’s father, Abdul Barek, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The head teacher is not behaving badly with my daughter. I am happy about that. But I am not sending my son to that school again.”