/ File case against principal over FB post

The Lalmonirhat District Administration has ordered a case to be filed against a college principal who allegedly referred to students from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement as a “disabled generation” in a Facebook post.
The directive was given to the Kaliganj Upazila Secondary Education Officer on Monday afternoon, which went viral on social media today.
The order was issued by Assistant Commissioner (Education Section) SM Shafaat Akhter Nur with the approval of the deputy commissioner, reports our Lalmonirhat correspondent.
In the letter, the college’s governing body was instructed to take appropriate action against Principal Abdur Rouf Sarkar of Kakina, Kaliganj.
According to the DC office sources, the complaint was filed by Tabassum Rayhan Mustazir, a lecturer in the English department at Uttar Bangla College, on Sunday.
Tabassum told The Daily Star that on July 18, Principal Abdur Rouf Sarkar had referred to students involved in the Anti-Discrimination Movement as the “disabled generation” in a Facebook post, which she had saved via screenshot.
She said the principal’s statement violated the principles of the students’ movement.
However, Abdur Rouf Sarkar denied posting anything demeaning against students or anti-state on Facebook.
He said the accusations were incorrect and mentioned that Tabassum was a former lecturer in the English department. “She is no longer employed at the college,” he said.
Lalmonirhat District Education Officer Mozibur Rahman confirmed receiving the district administration’s order and said preparations to file a case against the principal with Kaliganj Police Station were underway.
Uttar Bangla College Governing Body President and Kaliganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Noor-e-Alom Siddiki said steps were being taken to address the issue.
Assistant Commissioner SM Shafaat Akhter Nur said the order was issued under the deputy commissioner’s direction and no investigation was deemed necessary due to the presence of supporting evidence.
Contacted, Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner HM Raqib Hayder confirmed that the college’s governing body would act according to the instructions, and the secondary education officer would proceed with filing the case.
He said the action was taken because the principal’s Facebook post contradicted the core values of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.