<i> Lighting the children's way</i>
Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman speaks at the inaugural function of Prothom Alo School at a remote char in Ghogadaho union of Kurigram Sadar upazila on Saturday. Photo: STAR
The children of remote Prothom Alo Char village in Ghogadaho union under Kurigram Sadar upazila are now lucky enough to receive schooling, thanks to the initiative of Prothom Alo Trustee Board. Editor of Bangla daily Prothom Alo Md Matiur Rahman on Saturday inaugurated Prothom Alo School at the village as chief guest. In 2001, a new landmass emerged from the Brahmaputra River, forming parts of Nunkhawa union under Nageswari upazila and Jatrapur and Ghogadaho unions under Sadar upazila of the district. Then some people started living there but they remained deprived of government facilities. After a visit to the char in 2004, Kurigram correspondent of the daily Prothom Alo Shafi Khan reported on the indigent condition of 16 families living there. Then he along with members of Kurigram unit of Prothom Alo Bandhusava started giving supports to them. Later locals named the area Prothom Alo Char. Following Shafi Khan's persuasion, Ghogadaho UP Chairman Md Abdul Malek recognised the char area as belonging to his union and more people started living there. Presently about 2,500 people of 250 families live there. But in absence of any school, most of the children of the char area remained deprived of education. Some children went to a primary school over two kilometres away, crossing the Brahmaputra River. In response to locals' request, Shafi Khan in last year with the help of the Prothom Alo Trustee Board established a primary school named Prothom Alo School in two huts on 46 decimals of land in Prothom Alo Char village. The primary school informally started with 103 students in classes one to five and four teachers. The trust provided furniture, playing instruments and teachers' salaries while the upazila primary education officer arranged books and tiffin for students. Chairman of Prothom Alo Trustee Board and former secretary Md Abdul Aziz Khan, Commanding Officer of 27 Battalion of Border Guard Bangladesh in Kurigram Lt Col Md Abdur Razzak Tarofdar, Kurigram Sadar Upazila Primary Education Officer Md Amir Hossen, Executive Director of local NGO Solidarity freedom fighter Harun Ar Rashid Lal and Chairman of Ghogadaho Unoin Parishad Md Abdul Malek were also present during inauguration of Prothom Alo School. Locals Fazlar Rahman, 42, and Moktar Ali, 64, said they feel proud to have the school there. They demanded extending the institution as a high school to facilitate education of about three hundred children in the char area. "We are committed to working for betterment of the country and people. We will establish more schools in the char areas. We will draw government's attention for development of the char areas for greater interest of the people of Rangpur division," said Prothom Alo Editor Md Matiur Rahman.
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