Beauty Rani Pal, a primary school headteacher who recently drew widespread attention after posting a reel featuring the song “Aj Keno Mon Udashi Hoye”, has been selected as one of Sylhet district’s distinguished teachers.
Pal is the headteacher of Pithaithikor Government Primary School in Fenchuganj upazila of Sylhet.
Sylhet District Primary Education Officer Sakhawat Ershed confirmed her selection on Wednesday afternoon. He said four teachers were selected at the district level from among teachers shortlisted from all upazilas of Sylhet.
The other three teachers selected as distinguished teachers are Jamal Uddin Laskar, headteacher of Jahiria Government Primary School in Sylhet Sadar upazila; Nurjahan Begum, headteacher of Adampur Government Primary School in Osmaninagar upazila; and Adori Rani Das, an assistant teacher at Chowdhury Bazar Government Primary School in Golapganj upazila.
According to the district primary education office, the names of the selected teachers were sent to the divisional primary education office through an official memorandum signed by the district primary education officer on Monday.
A divisional-level selection committee subsequently held a meeting on Tuesday and announced the names of teachers selected at the divisional level. Beauty Rani Pal, however, was not included in that list.
Reel sparks discussion
On July 23, Pal posted a reel on her Facebook account featuring the song “Aj Keno Mon Udashi Hoye Dur Ojanay Chay Harate.”
The lines are from the song “Shraboner Meghgulo Joro Holo Akashe,” performed by Mezbah Rahman of the band Different Touch.
The video was later circulated by a Facebook page with negative commentary, following which Pal became the subject of online trolling.
She subsequently removed the video.
The incident was followed by an unusual online response from women teachers across Bangladesh. Many teachers began posting their own photographs and videos on Facebook using the same song. Women and men from different professions also joined the trend in solidarity with the teachers.
Teaching career
Pal completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). She joined the teaching profession in 2013.
She regularly posts educational and student-focused videos on Facebook.
This is not the first time Pal has received recognition for her teaching. She was previously selected as the best teacher at the district level.
She is also known locally for her work as a teacher and is popular among students and parents.
Videos posted on her Facebook account show her conducting lessons in an engaging environment, leading physical exercises for students, using dance and movement to teach mathematical symbols and textbook lessons, and organising tree-planting and sapling distribution activities at the school.