Human chain demands death penalty of student who killed teacher with cricket stump

Teachers of private schools in Savar held a human chain on Thursday demanding capital punishment for the prime accused student who killed his teacher Utpal Kumar Sarker with a cricket stump in Savar on the outskirts of the capital.

They also called on the authority to unveil the mystery behind the brutal killing to ensure all involved are brought under the law.

Hundreds of teachers from 21 educational institutions under the Federation of Kindergarten Association in Savar formed the human chain this morning at 10am in front of the Savar Upazila Parishad adjacent to the Dhaka-Archia Highway.

Savar Federation of Kindergarten Association Chairman Jahangir Alam told the media that teachers no longer feel safe.

"It is unacceptable that we have to witness such a heinous incident where a teacher was murdered by his own student."

Expressing satisfaction over the arrest of the prime accused, Jahangir Alam said, "We want to thank the government for the quick arrest of the perpetrator. Now we want speedy trial and maximum punishment of the accused, besides immediate compensation for the family of the deceased teacher."

A day earlier, RAB arrested the main accused - Ashraful Islam Jitu - from Sreepur of Gazipur hours after the arrest of the student's father over the same incident.

Utpal Kumar Sarkar, a thirty-five-year-old lecturer in the political science department and chairman of the disciplinary committee at Hazi Yunus Ali School and College in Chitrasail area of Ashulia, died on Monday (27 June) after being assaulted by a student with a cricket stump.

Reportedly, the student suddenly struck Utpal with a cricket stump while he was standing on one side of the field during a cricket match of female students of Hazi Yunus Ali School and College on Saturday (27 June).

Following the incident, the victim's brother filed a case accusing Jitu along with some unidentified individuals.

Aseem Kumar Sarkar, the deceased's brother, said, "The student hit my brother as disciplinary action was taken against him for eve-teasing."

He urged the prime minister and the education minister to intervene in the matter to ensure justice for his brother.