Schooling eludes kids in two Jamuna <i>chars</i>
Hundreds of children, like these ones at Prajapatichar in Shapdhori union in Islampur upazila of Jamalpur district, hardly see any prospect of bright future as the area lacks basic schooling and healthcare facilities. Photo: STAR
Several hundred children of two char areas (newly emerged landmass) under Shapdhori union of Islampur upazila of the district are totally deprived of education just for want of a primary school. Besides, the people of the areas are not getting health services due to lack of health centres for long. The two chars, known as Bishroshi and Projapoti, emerged in Jamuna River in 1986 and it followed human settlement there. Bishroshichar and Projapotichar in the middle of the river are cut off from the other villages of the union. So the children of the two char areas cannot go to schools located at other villages due to risky and troublesome communication. The children of Bishroshichar are reluctant to go to Chengania Government Primary School at village Chengania of the union as they are to walk at least two kilometres through sandy path and cross around half a kilometre of river by boat. On the other hand, the children of Projapotichar do not go to Charshishua Govt Primary School at all as they are to walk four kilometre sandy path and cross half a kilometre of river. The situation has been prevailing since the start of human settlement at Bishroshichar and Projapotichar and thus people of the areas have become illiterate and so do the children, said the char people. During a recent visit to the areas, people, mostly marginal and poor farmers and fishermen, told this correspondent that they could not have education just for want of schools. Marginal farmer Sekandar Sheikh of Bishroshichar said, "I am a hapless man as I could not make my three sons and two daughters educated. If there was a primary school here, many of our children would have the light of education," he said. Another poor farmer Fakir Ali of Projapotichar, which is about 5km away from Bishroshichar, expressed similar views and added that it was high time to set up a primary school in the char to ensure education of their children. Meanwhile the people of the two char areas are suffering badly for want of a community clinic and union health centre. People of the two chars alleged that they do not get health services as they are living in remote char areas. The upazila health complex is around 18km away from the two chars. Patients have to walk three km, cross five km of Jamuna River and then go another 10 km by motor vehicles to reach the health complex. Serious patients, especially children, elderly people, pregnant women become the worst sufferers when they are taken to the upazila health complex amid such troublesome communication. Contacted, Shapdhori union chairman Asaduzzaman Asad said that about 2,000 people of Bishroshi and 3,000 others of Projapoti remain deprived of education as there is no school in those areas. "Even no NGOs have come forward with formal or informal schooling for the children yet," he said. "Moreover, people are suffering much as there is no community clinic there," he added.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments