Children in educational institutions are being subjected to physical and mental abuse with canes, dusters, and scales. A study conducted by BLAST said that 69 percent of parents and guardians agree with this abuse 'for the sake of discipline'.
Legal aid organization BLAST works in 25 districts of the country. This research was conducted in their work area in 2016. BLAST and Save the Children held a public hearing on 'Eliminating Physical and Mental Punishment to Protect Children's Rights' at the CIRDAP Auditorium in the capital on Sunday afternoon. The research data was presented at this public hearing.
Fifty-five percent of parents believe that punishment leads children to a better path. 27 percent believe that children become scolded if they are not punished, and 25 percent believe that children listen to teachers if they are punished.
The social, psychological and legal aspects of physical and mental abuse of children were discussed. The context of several incidents was also highlighted. Judges, representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, lawyers, representatives of donor agencies, journalists, teachers, psychologists, families of victims of abuse and representatives of civil society participated in this public hearing.
Rasheda K. Chowdhury, executive director of the Mass Literacy Campaign and a member of the jury board, participated in the discussion. She said, "The question remains as to how aware those who train teachers are themselves. And although physical abuse has stopped, verbal abuse has not stopped. Policymakers need to come forward in this regard."‘
In his speech, former Justice Nizamul Haque said that parents should get rid of the idea that children will not become human if they are not touched.
Tasmima Hossain, acting editor of the Daily Ittefaq, said, "There is a law, but it is not enforced. Children should be taught with love, not punishment. We need to instill in them the mentality of correcting mistakes."‘
During the discussion, a parent said that it is better not to use the word punishment when referring to children, because children do not commit crimes, they make mistakes.
Momena Begum, principal of Sahajpath High School, said that children need to be integrated by identifying their mental problems.
ZI Khan, member of the Board of Trustees of BLAST, Ekramul Kabir, manager of Save the Children, and Kazi Farooq Ahmed, president of the Human Development Initiative, among others, spoke at the public hearing.
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