Chandina (Comilla) Correspondent:
Educational institutions are going to be officially closed in just two days on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. In the meantime, other educational institutions except primary schools were closed last Thursday. Primary schools in the country are still open. In Chandina, Comilla, it was seen that cows and goats were tied up on the veranda of the school building, encroaching on the school grounds. Such an incident took place in the grounds of Dollai Nawabpur Government Primary School in Chandina upazila.
This picture was seen on Monday (May 2) when I went to Dollai Nawabpur Government Primary School in the upazila. In such a situation, there was extreme anger among teachers, students and guardians.
Talking to the teachers of the school and locals, it was learned that during the Eid-ul-Azha season, the market moves to the school grounds after leasing an annual permanent cattle market at a designated place in the market. Again, just before Eid, the upazila administration is leasing temporary cattle markets and setting them up in school grounds. Although this situation has been going on for years, the administration has not taken any permanent measures.
After investigating, it was learned that at the beginning of the Bengali year, the administration leased 4 permanent cattle markets in the upazila including Chandina Municipality. Out of these, the lessee leased the Dollai Nawabpur cattle market in the upazila for about 5.4 million taka like every year. But just before Eid, that cattle market was brought to the grounds of the Dollai Nawabpur Government Primary School. In addition, the upazila administration leased 21 temporary cattle markets like every year.
Of these, the cattle markets in Srimantapur, Kaduti and Dherera are located in 3 separate school grounds. Although the administration leased those cattle markets to designated markets, the lessee continued to operate the markets by setting up poles in the school grounds for their convenience. Out of the 26 permanent and temporary cattle markets in the upazila, 4 markets are in school grounds. On the one hand, the school’s teaching is being disrupted by the cattle market being set up in the school grounds. On the other hand, the school grounds are becoming muddy and unsuitable for sports.
Mosharraf Hossain, acting headmaster of Dollai Nawabpur Government Primary School, said that although there is a designated place for the market, a cattle market is held in the school grounds every year during the sacrificial season. This morning (Monday) due to rain, cows and goats came to the school’s veranda. There is still a cash counter on the veranda. In the past years, we have told the higher authorities many times, but this year we did not tell anyone because no action was taken. Students are having trouble coming because of the cattle market in the grounds.
Kaduti High School’s headmaster Md. Shafiqul Islam said, this has been going on for years. Our high school has been closed since last Thursday. However, primary school teaching continues until Monday. In the meantime, the cattle market is also running.
Md., the lessee of Dollai Nawabpur Bazar. Shahjahan Saju said, due to lack of space at the designated place for the cattle market, the market has been held in the school grounds during the Eid-ul-Azha season for ages. This time too, we are running the market with the permission of the Upazila Executive Officer. Zakir Hossain, the lessee of the Srimantapur cattle market, said that most of the school grounds are private land. We have taken the lease and set up the cattle market in that private place.
Chandina Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Mohammad Ashraful Haque said, I have not given permission to set up a cattle market in any field. After learning about the matter through journalists, I have sent the Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) to the spot. Appropriate action will be taken against those who set up the market in the school grounds.
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