Most schools, colleges in Lalmonirhat have no Shaheed Minar
A staggering 880 of 949 educational institutions in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat district are without any Shaheed Minar dedicated to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs. Language heroes, teachers, students as well as cross section of people have urged the authorities concerned for taking immediate step to build Shaheed Minar at those institutions. Of the 43 colleges, 201 high schools, 621 primary schools, and 84 madrasas in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat district, there are Shaheed Minars at 11 colleges, 33 high schools and 25 primary schools, said sources at Lalmonirhat District Education Office. None of the 84 madrasas in the district has any Shaheed Minar, they added. Azmir Hossain, a class ten student of Durgapur High School in Aditmari upazila, said, there is no Shaheed Minar at their school although the students demanded it on several occasions. Mousumi Akhter, a BA student of Mozida Khatun Government Women's College in Lalmonirhat town, said, "We urged our principal for building a Shaheed Minar on the campus but no initiative has been taken yet. The government spends lots of money for construction of buildings at educational institutions but only a small amount is needed to build a Shaheed Minar." Sultana Akhter, a class ten student of Lalmonirhat Government Girls' High School, said, "We feel the necessity of a Shaheed Minar here but the school authority is not taking any initiative for it." Shamim Ara, principal of Mozida Khatun Government Women's College, said, "I feel the necessity of a Shaheed Minar on the college campus but I cannot do it due to lack of fund. The government should take step for constructing Shaheed Minar at every educational institution." However, Sudan Chandro Roy, principal of Saptibari Degree College in Aditmari upazila, said, “With the fund collected from teachers, students, and local donors, I constructed a Shaheed Minar on the college campus two years ago. Institution chiefs can take such initiative and everybody in the society should extend help from their level." Lalmonirhat District Education Officer Moslem Uddin Sarker said, "The government rule does not make it mandatory to construct Shaheed Minar at all educational institutions, and so, I cannot direct them to construct Shaheed Minar. Institution authorities can construct Shaheed Minar on their own initiative.†Language hero Comrade Shamsul Islam, a resident of BDR Road in the town, said, “It is necessary to build Shaheed Minar at every educational institution to keep the glorious history of Language Movement alive in the mind of our students as it was the first step towards our Liberation War.†"Money should not be considered a hindrance if there is sincere desire to build Shaheed Minar," he added.
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