Two Teachers Jailed

This is the dark side of the military ruled emergency power. These 2 poor teachers have been jailed for staging a drama against fertilizer crisis in March this year. Daily Star reports on August 2, 2007:

"Two teachers of Damurhat upazila were sentenced to different jail terms Tuesday in a case filed on charge of violating Emergency Power Rules by trying to stage a 'drama' on fertiliser crisis in March this year.

Court sources said madrasa teacher ANM Afzal Hossain was sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk 10,000, in default, to suffer six months more RI and M Harun-or-Rashid, teacher of a kindergarten school, to 3 years and 4 months imprisonment and fined Tk 6000, in default, to suffer more four months.

Another accused Abdur Rahim, a farmer, was acquitted.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Shamsul Haq filed the case accusing the three persons as they tried to stage a drama in protest of “fertiliser crisis” in front of Damurhat UNO office on March 27 this year, police said.

After examining the witnesses and records, the Judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal Yusuf Ali handed down the verdict".

This is a harsh punishment to the poor teachers who wanted to draw Government's attention to fertilizer crisis. Many more worse offenders are walking out there free when these poor teachers will suffer in jail. Who will speak for them?