Kids made to stand in the sun for hours

More than one thousand students from 25 education institutions, mostly schools in Motijheel and adjacent areas, were made to stand in the sun for two and a half hours for a human chain yesterday.

A platform by the name "Students, Teachers, Guardians and Management Coordination Committee" organised the event to protest against the ongoing political programmes that are hampering academic activities including SSC and equivalent examinations.

Several students fell sick during the programme for standing in the sun for long. A number of students of class three and four were seen pleading to their teachers to let them go. Some of the exhausted students took shelter in roadside shops or under trees. A number of teachers were also seen taking rest under the shade.

Though the students were made to stand in the sun, the stage was set for the speakers under the shade of a tree.

A mother, who was taking care of her daughter who fell ill, said she was accompanying her two daughters for their safety. She said she was not sending her daughters to their education institutions on regular days due to the blockade and hartal.

A number of students from Motijheel Colony High School, Shaheed Faruq Iqbal High School and Post Office High School said their teachers at their coaching centres had asked them to join the human chain.

Despite the parents' indifference the students joined the two-and-a-half-hour-long programme at 10:00am on the road between Motijheel Ideal School and College and Motijheel Post Office School.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon joined the programme as the chief guest at 10:30am, half an hour behind schedule, and Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya arrived as the special guest at 11:15am.

Activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, associated student body of ruling Awami League, from Motijheel thana and other units also joined the programme.

An activist of Abujar Gifari College unit BCL said they had attended the event at the directive of their unit secretary.

Speaking at the programme, Mofazzal Hossain said, "What do you [Khaleda Zia] think? You can go to power or realise your demand of election by stopping the examination? No negotiations with you. No negotiations are possible with a killer."

There would be no election even one hour before the scheduled time in 2019 and that would be held under Sheikh Hasina's government, he added.

Speaking as the chief guest, Menon said, "Students of the entire country would take to the streets and besiege you [Khaleda] and the barbwire fence cannot protect you."

Awolad Hossain, joint secretary of Dhaka city Awami League and president of managing committee of Motijheel Ideal School and College, chaired the event.