Tuba returns to school under UNO’s care

Nine-year-old Tuba, whose viral video of feeding bread soaked in tea to her father tied to an electric pole triggered nationwide outrage, returned to school on Thursday morning under the personal guardianship of the local administration.

Uzirpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Ali Suja escorted the third-grader back to Bamrail Government Primary School, where peers and teachers greeted her with warm welcomes to help her reintegrate into classes following days of traumatic absence.

The intervention followed public outcry over a widely shared video clip from 24 September. The night before, local traders at an Uzirpur market detained Tuba’s father over alleged theft, tied his legs to a roadside utility pole, and subjected him to public assault. Hearing of the ordeal the next morning, nine-year-old Tuba rushed to the scene with a loaf of bread and a cup of tea, pleading desperately with bystanders to spare her father while gently feeding him morsels amid the jeering crowd.

The child had stopped attending school in the aftermath of the humiliation.

Seeking to shield the family and rehabilitate the father, the upazila administration on 28 September admitted the man to a specialised drug rehabilitation centre in Barishal city for three months at state expense.

Visiting the school alongside Tuba on Thursday, UNO Ali Suja held talks with faculty and pupils, urging a compassionate, stigma-free environment to ensure her education remains uninterrupted.

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"While the administration cannot eradicate every social malaise overnight, protecting a vulnerable child and rehabilitating her family sets a precedent for community empathy," the UNO said, pledging full administrative support for her schooling.

Headmaster Jahangir Kabir commended the initiative, noting that the school has taken special measures to ensure the student feels secure. "Tuba is an attentive learner. The trauma kept her away from lessons, but we are committed to providing the emotional and academic support she needs to thrive," he said.