Teachers support fellow educator by recording same-song videos amid 'moral policing' backlash

Beauty Pal, the head teacher of Pitaitikor Government Primary School in Fenchuganj Upazila, Sylhet, was once selected as the best head teacher in Sylhet district. Now, she finds herself at the center of a "moral policing" campaign over a personal video.

A video went viral on social media showing Beauty Pal walking in the rain with an umbrella, set to the song "Aj ken mon, udashi hoye..." originally sung by Mejbaur Rahman of the Different Touch band.

The video has sparked widespread debate. It is not just a section of people engaging in moral policing; several local and Sylhet-based news portals have also attempted to vilify the educator. This has drawn sharp criticism from people across various professions. Civil society members in Sylhet and across the country have come forward in support of the teacher. Moreover, many fellow teachers from all over the country are now creating similar videos with the same song and posting them on Facebook as a form of protest.

One teacher, Palashi Bain, made a similar video on her school's veranda and posted it on Facebook with the caption: "Can't a teacher smile? Can't she sing? Can't she dress up a little? Can't she walk with a bit of style? The entire Sylhet is in uproar over a teacher. But what did she actually do? She just struck a pose and made a stylish video. And that became a crime? Has the entire teaching community lost its dignity because of this?"

Another teacher, Deepa Mandal, posted a video holding an umbrella like Beauty Pal, and wrote: "Teachers are expected to be skilled in dance, music, and acting. So why all the criticism today? A teacher has to do everything—like a machine—to keep classroom activities engaging, to make students attentive, to break monotony, and to present lessons with joy. And yet, is the teacher not allowed to have any feelings or moments of happiness? Is that the expectation? How can a respected teacher, dressed in a sari, be accused of obscenity? She wasn't wearing pants, shirts, or tops. So let this be a protest."

Palashi and Deepa are not alone. Teachers from various parts of the country are voicing similar protests, and ordinary citizens are also joining in.

Journalist Mahbub Morshed has demanded that the registration of those local news portals be revoked. He wrote: "A teacher in Fenchuganj made a beautiful reel. Some local and non-local portals have reported on it, blaming her. I call for the cancellation of these portals' registrations."

Children's literature writer Humayun Kabir Dhali also expressed his protest. On Facebook, he wrote: "A teacher is also a human being of flesh and blood. She has the right to celebrate joy, and equally the right to feel sad. A teacher is not some detached machine; various emotions arise in her mind under the influence of society and circumstances."