Probe body formed to investigate schoolgirl’s suicide

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Students of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College seen protesting in front of the main entrance of the institute on Tuesday; December 04, 2018 Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune

A three-member probe body, led by the director of the Dhaka Regional Education office, was formed on Tuesday

A three-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the suicide of a Class 9 student from Viqarunnisa Noon School and College.

The student hanged herself from a ceiling fan, at her home, in the Shantinagar area of Dhaka on Monday.

She committed suicide after she was caught cheating in a school examination,  her father was called in to the school, and her father was humiliated by the school’s authorities.

The probe committee was formed as per Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid’s directions, on Tuesday, reports UNB.

The committee will be led by Prof Md Yusuf, director of the Dhaka Regional Education office.

The other members of the committee are: Deputy Director of Dhaka Regional Education office Shakhawat Hossain and Dhaka District Education Officer Benzir Ahmed.

The committee has been asked to submit a report within the next three days.

“We do not expect these types of incidents,” the education minister said. “Steps will be taken following the investigation report.”

The minister will visit Viqarunnisa School and College later in the day.

Why did the student commit suicide?

The Class 9 student was caught with a mobile phone during a school examination, upon which she was accused of cheating, and her parents were called by the school authorities.

The deceased’s father alleged that the Principal, Nazneen Ferdous, and vice-principal misbehaved and insulted him when he went to the school – with his wife and daughter – on Monday.

The principal told him to collect the student’s transfer certificate, the father claimed.

At one point, the student ran away from the principal’s office. Later, when her parents returned home, they found her hanging from a ceiling fan at her residence at Shantinagar.

After she was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), the on-duty doctors pronounced her dead, her father said.

In addition, Nazneen was accosted by the student’s relatives at DMCH, when she went to visit the hospital after hearing news of the student’s death.

However, when contacted, Nazneen told the Dhaka Tribune: “The student was caught cheating in an exam with a mobile phone, which is strictly prohibited. In these circumstances, we usually expel the students.

“However, we called her parents to tell them she would not be able to take the rest of the exams,” she said. “A decision about the incident was going to be taken after discussions with the governing body. We told them that they would be informed of the decision later.”

Source: Dhaka Tribune.