Science Teacher Hridoy Mandal Gets Bail

Hridoy Chandra Mandal, a science and mathematics teacher of Binodpur Ram Kumar High School in Munshiganj Sadar Upazila has been granted bail. He was granted bail in a blasphemy case.

Munshiganj District Additional Sessions Judge Motaharat Akhter Bhuiyan passed the order at around 1:15 pm on Sunday.

Lawyer Abdur Rahman confirmed the matter and said that after all the formalities, the heart may be released this afternoon or evening.

Earlier, on March 23 and 28, bail was sought in the court. At that time the court rejected his bail plea. On March 22, school office assistant Mohammad Asad filed a case against Hridoy Chandra Mandal for insulting Islam. He was arrested on the same day.

Moniruzzaman Sharif, a member of the school's managing committee, said in reference to the case that there was a general science class in the fifth hour of the 10th class on March 20. Teacher Hridoy Chandra Mandal was taking the humanities and commerce class. On that day, Hridoy Chandra Mandal discussed religion in that class, which was recorded by some students.

He said some students later protested against Hridoy Chandra Mandal in the area, accusing him of speaking "offensively" about religion. Munshiganj Sadar police took the teacher into custody. He was later arrested and sent to jail.

Munshiganj Sadar Police Station OC Abu Bakkar Siddique said that two days after the incident (March 22), the school office assistant (electrician) Mohammad Asad filed a case against Hridoy Chandra Mandal at the Sadar Police Station alleging injury to religious sentiments.

The next day [March 23], he was arrested in the case and handed over to the court, where he was sent to jail.