Teachers from the minorities
May I request the Honourable Minister of Education, as he plans the future workings of his department, to set up a small office, manned by officials who include those from minority racial and religious communities, with a well-advertised phone number, so that those school management, who are under pressure to dismiss non-Muslim teachers, and non-Muslim teachers, who are under pressure to resign - might contact such an office for support and advice.
This has been going on for some years but is the sort of thing that no one likes to admit is happening, but there is reliable evidence for it. As those applying the pressure are also men of violence, their threats can be both frightening and very hard to resist. The government should surely make it clear that, if support is needed, it is available. It is surely a valuable part of the education of a child to have teachers from the minorities.
The newspapers, both Bengali and English, might be persuaded to print the section of Bangladesh Constitution that speaks of tolerance for minorities, so that any readers who wish to promote information and understanding of this section of the constitution, might be encouraged to photocopy it and put it up in their places of work, education and residence in order to show others that they are on the side of tolerance and do not wish the government, or anyone else, to give in to the insidious pressure from a certain section who use totally unacceptable 'missionary' tactics, to change the widely accepted and traditional beliefs and practices of this nation regarding its minorities.
A reader, On e-mail
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