2018 Bengali teacher recruitment movement
Darivit School Movement | ||||
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Date | 20 September 2018 – October 2018 | |||
Location | ||||
Caused by | Appointment of Urdu and teacher instead of a Bengali teacher despite no Urdu-medium students | |||
Goals | Appointment of a Bengali language teacher | |||
Methods | ||||
Status | Concluded | |||
Parties | ||||
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Lead figures | ||||
Abhijit Kundu (Headmaster) | ||||
Casualties and losses | ||||
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Families of the deceased demanded a second post-mortem and temporarily buried the bodies by the Galancha River |
In September 2018, a movement began at Darivit School in Islampur, North Dinajpur, West Bengal, demanding the appointment of a Bengali language teacher. The students began their agitation in protest of the appointment of Urdu-language teachers instead of Bengali teachers, despite the absence of a Bengali teacher.[1][2] In opposition to such injustice against the Bengali nation, students of the school who cherished their mother tongue—both current and former—along with other youth of the village and groups of guardians, jointly participated in the movement. On 20 September 2018, the police resorted to baton charge and opened fire on the protestors.[3] As a result, movement participants Rajesh Sarkar[4] and Tapas Barman[5] were killed.[6][7] Additionally, a tenth-grade student, Biplab Sarkar, was shot and wounded—he was hit in the leg.[8]
Inception
[edit]Despite the necessity for a teacher in the subject of Bengali at Daribhit High School in the Islampur Block, an Urdu teacher was appointed instead of a Bengali teacher.[1] Thereafter, the students erupted in outrage. They initiated a movement in protest of the appointment of an Urdu teacher, even though there was not a single Urdu-medium student in the school.[9]
Movement
[edit]In protest against the appointment of the Urdu teacher and in demand for a Bengali teacher, the students began demonstrating by blockading the state highway adjacent to the school.[9] Although the acting headmaster of the school initially assured them that the Urdu teacher would not be brought to the school, when the Urdu teachers attempted to assume duty, the students remained adamant in their demand and did not allow the Urdu teachers to join the institution. Later, when the police arrived, the educational institution turned into a battlefield over this issue.[4] In protest of this incident, the civil society of West Bengal held a protest march in Kolkata.[10] Additionally, a 12-hour general strike was called in protest.[11]
Post-movement developments
[edit]- The controversial Urdu teacher, Mohammad Sanaullah, was detained for interrogation. While attempting to join duty at Daribhit High School, he was twice confronted by agitating students’ demonstrations.[12]
- The Board of Education summoned the headmaster of Daribhit High School, Abhijit Kundu, for negligence in the matter of teacher appointment.[13]
- The families of the deceased, demanding a second post-mortem examination, did not cremate the bodies of Rajesh and Tapas, but instead buried them temporarily by the nearby Galancha River. They have demanded a CBI investigation.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Students clash with police at Bengal school, one killed". Hindustan Times. 2018-09-20. Archived from the original on 2024-11-30. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Students clash with police over appointment of teachers in West Bengal, 1 dead". India Today. 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. "ইসলামপুরে গুলিবিদ্ধ আরও এক ছাত্রের মৃত্যু, বন্ধ ঘিরে অশান্তি" (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ a b "Bengal: Students clash with police in school over appointment of teachers, one dead". The Indian Express. 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Islampur Clash: Another Student Dies, BJP Bandh Underway". The Wire. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "ইসলামপুরের ছাত্র আন্দোলনে মৃত বেড়ে ২, বিজেপির বনধ ঘিরে উত্তেজনা". Zee24Ghanta.com (in Bengali). 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "ছাত্র বিক্ষোভে বোমা-গুলি-লাঠিচার্জ ইসলামপুরে, মৃত ১ প্রাক্তন ছাত্র". bengali.news18.com (in Bengali). 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ হেদায়েতুল্লা, মেহেদি. "জখম ছাত্রকে শিলিগুড়িতে" (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ a b "ইসলামপুরের স্কুলে চলল গুলি, নিহত ছাত্র". 2018-09-26. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Islampur Clashes, Student Deaths Risk Sparking New Political Flashpoint In Bengal". www.ndtv.com. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ Ventuno. "Locals carry out torch rally against students' killing in Islampur". Biharprabha News | Connecting Bihar with the entire World. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "ইসলামপুর কাণ্ডে আটক বিতর্কিত উর্দু শিক্ষক, জেরা পুলিশের". sangbadpratidin. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "নদীর তীরে পোঁতা ২ দেহ, থমথমে ইসলামপুর". bengali.news18.com (in Bengali). 2018-09-22. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ Giri, Pramod (2018-09-23). "Kin of students killed in Bengal school agitation refuse to cremate bodies". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2025-04-15.