Family members of Hriday Chandra Mondal, the Munshiganj school teacher now behind bars in a case over demeaning religion, are passing days in panic. Even his son has stopped going to school because of social harassment. “My son cannot go to school. Other students tease him — they call him the son of a criminal. So I have stopped sending him to school,” said Hriday’s wife Babita Hawlader. “Even some of our neighbours often hurl abuse at us. We are passing days in fear and insecurity.”

Babita’s elder brother Badal Hawlader said, “We have almost been ostracised. We don’t go out during daytime in fear of untoward incidents.” Hriday has been teaching in the school for 21 years, and all these years, not a single complaint was filed against him, he said. On March 20, Hriday, assistant teacher of Binodpur Ram Kumar High School in Munshiganj, was having a conversation with students about the difference between science and religion.

Later in the afternoon, a group of students filed a written complaint with the head teacher, alleging that Hriday made derogatory comments on Islam. On March 22, some students staged a demonstration and police detained Hriday. That night, the school’s office assistant, Md Asad Miah, filed the case for “demeaning religion”. In the meantime, a mobile phone recording of the classroom conversation was circulated among locals.  

“We have long been facing troubles from some unruly students. They used to stalk my husband on roads and even in classroom. Besides, some people would often kick our doors and knock on our windows and flee,” said Babita. Usually, students are not allowed to enter classrooms with mobile phones, “So, how could someone record the conservation,” she questioned? “My husband did not make any derogatory comments over Islam. He was framed in a planned way.