Tale of a disappearing school playground
This land, formerly used as the playground of Azad Bakth High School at Sherpur in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila, gives the appearance of a water body as a BNP man sold out huge earth from it years ago. Recently the school has lost possession of the land as Roads and Highways Department, taking the opportunity of 'mistake' in official record, has leased it out to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.Photo: STAR
Students of Azad Bakth High School at Sherpur in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila formed a human chain on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway on Sunday afternoon in protest against leasing out their school playground by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD). The RHD recently leased out the playground, recorded mistakenly in its name decades ago, to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), much to the grievance of students, teachers and local people. Established in 1914, Azad Bakth High School possesses land, donated by founder Syed Yaar Bakth, in the khatian No 836, JL No-1, dag No 704 (existing dag No 1078) in Brahmingram mouja under Moulvibazar Sadar upazila. But during settlement survey in 1956, the 77 decimals of land of the school playground was mistakenly recorded in the name of RHD. However, the school students continued using the playground. The school authorities on several occasions tried to correct the record through negotiation with the RHD but the latter did not make any positive response. Recently the RHD leased out the playground to the TCB for construction of its godown. "The school authorities have been fighting to save the playground since it was mistakenly recorded as an RHD land. School students got chance to play here till 2000. But later an influential BNP man sold earth from the playground, which now looks like a pond. Students formed a human chain on Sunday afternoon at Sherpur in protest against RHD's move to lease it out to TCB," said Shihabur Rahman, assistant headmaster of Azad Bakth High School. Utpal Samanta, executive engineer of RHD, Moulvibazar, said, "I have not been informed about the matter concerning Azad Bakth High School. It may have occurred before my joining here." "There is no scope to lease out a school playground even if the land is under RHD ownership. Necessary steps will be taken after examining the documents," he added.
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