Teachers, students worried as school under erosion threat

Sundra Kalikapur High School in Mirzaganj upazila of the district is under the threat of collapse into the Payra River, much to the worry of students, teacher and guardians.

Local people set up the high school in a tin-shed house in 1969 and later Education Engineering Department with the fund of Ashian Development Bank built a concrete building for the school in 1993-94 fiscal year, said school sources.

That time the Payra River was over one kilometre away but it has now reached just beside the school.

A portion of the school building has already caved in and it may collapse any time, said schoolteachers and guardians.

"Most of the students come from poor families. Their schooling will stop if the school building collapses into the river as they cannot afford to study in distant places. The authority should take immediate steps to shift the school to a nearby safe place," said Abul Kalam, a guardian.

Abdur Razzak, headmaster of the school, said they have already shifted the tin-shed house of the school with furniture and other materials to another place as the river erosion turned serious.

"We also sent several letters to the authorities concerned including upazila nirbahi officer, district education officer, and the executive engineer of Education Engineering Department for steps to shift the whole school to a safer place but to no effect yet," he said.