Bangladesh - Corporal Punishment

THE case of a teacher indiscriminately beating 37 students of Class 6 at a school in Rampura is appalling.

While this particular case has made headlines, corporal punishment remains a common practice at schools and madressahs in Bangladesh, with hundreds of students being subjected to it every year. This is despite a high court ban on corporal punishment at educational institutions last year and a rule ear-lier this year declaring corporal punishment as constituting a clear violation of children`s fundamental rights to life,liberty and freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The HC last year also asked the government to show cause why its failure to prevent such incidents including through the framing of laws and guidelines-investigate such allegations and prosecute and punish the perpetrators, should not be deemed a violation of rights guaranteed under the constitution.

It is essential to have laws against corporal punishment passed promptly, implementthem and ensure that they are incorporated in the manuals/codes of conduct of all educational institutions in the country. Equally important is the monitoring of institutions in order to identify and investigate such crimes as soon as they occur, followed by legal action for exemplary punishment is an undeniable deterrent. However, the problem seems to go much deeper than is perceived. This is obvious from the continuing trendof corporal punishment despite the fear of legal action. The relevant authorities, i.e. the government, relevant min-istries and school authorities, must come up with ... alternative approaches to disciplining children. Training and sensitisation of teachers to this effect, and awarenessraising campaigns against corporal punishment amongst students and guardians may prove useful. The message that corporal punishment is inhuman, illegal and unconstitutional, and that it can have dire consequences for both victims and perpetrators, must be conveyed loud and clear