A video showing the abuse of a child student at a kindergarten in Paltan, Dhaka, has gone viral on social media. The footage shows two teachers beating a student, estimated to be four to five years old, inside an office room.
Following the video’s circulation, demands have been made for the arrest of the two teachers, exemplary punishment, and the closure of the school.
The video was first shared on Wednesday night (21 January) by lawyer Saleh Uddin. According to the CCTV timestamp, the footage was recorded on 18 January. Police have identified the school in the video as Sharmin Academy in Paltan.
The viral CCTV footage shows a female teacher leading the child into the office by hand. While the child sits on a sofa, a male teacher stands and grabs the child’s face, head, and neck. The female teacher holds the child’s hands during the assault, and the child is repeatedly beaten in this manner.
The male teacher, wearing glasses, cream-colored pants, and a grey T-shirt, hits the child multiple times, while a female teacher in a pink saree restrains the child. The child is also scolded and told to remain silent through gestures.
The video’s circulation on social media has sparked outrage among parents. Many said schools are supposed to be a “second home,” and teachers should be equivalent to parents. They argued that when children are not safe at school, the institution should be shut down.
Freedom fighter Ziaul Kabir Dulu, president of the Guardians’ Unity Forum, said such inhumane incidents cannot be tolerated in a school located just a few hundred yards from the Secretariat in Paltan. He questioned whether the individuals involved could be called teachers, noting that two teachers had committed inhumane abuse inside a school. He demanded their arrest and exemplary punishment, urging the Education Adviser and Education Secretary to take immediate notice.
According to police sources, after the video went viral on 21 January, it generated a strong reaction on Facebook. Police have started work to identify and arrest those involved. Several officials from the kindergarten have already been summoned to the police station.
Paltan Police stated that they have identified the school as Sharmin Academy in Nayapaltan following the video’s circulation. One person involved in the abuse has been identified as the school director, Sharmin Akter. Notices have been issued for them to appear at the police station, but they have requested time. No arrests or detentions have been made yet, and legal proceedings are ongoing.
Paltan Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Mostafa Kamal Khan said, “We called the guardians, and they came. Complaints have been filed regarding the incident. They have requested time and may provide information today. Once a formal complaint is filed, action will be taken.”
Repeated attempts to reach Sharmin Akter on her mobile phone went unanswered. Calls to multiple numbers listed on the school’s official Facebook page also received no response.