The Sidda High School authorities in Damudya upazila here have charged fees seven times the usual from the students going to sit for the SSC examinations next year.
It was also alleged that the followers of the president of the school’s management committee, former Sidda union unit Awami League president Alauddin Amin and Headmaster Habibur Rahman Tota physically harassed some students when they disclosed the matter to the local journalists.
It was learnt that 24 of 46 students came out successful in the SSC test examinations and the school authorities allowed all of them to register for the public examination. But the unsuccessful students had to pay up to Tk15,000 instead of Tk6,000 as the exam fee. The amount for the successful students was Tk5,000.
Many victims disclosed the matter to local journalists, during which Alauddin’s son Zia Amin ran into the students and threatened them of dire consequence. Later, Zia along with some others beat up two students – Shaon and Rafique – going to their residence and even they allegedly confined a student to a classroom of the school after torturing.
At one stage, they threatened the students that they would not be allowed to sit in the upcoming SSC examinations. All the victims informed the matter to the local education officer over mobile phone.
When asked, the school’s Headmaster Habibur acknowledged the allegation, saying they just acted as per the decision of the management committee. He, however, refused to make any remarks on the allegation of physical harassment of students and to disclose the figure of the fees collected from SSC examinees.
When contacted, Alauddin said they had directed to collect Tk15,000 from those who failed in more than five subjects in the test exams – Tk10,000 as security and the rest for the registration, he added.
Damudya Education Officer SM Gias Uddin said the board had fixed SSC fee at Tk1,400, yet the school authorities can demand a little bit more to arrange coaching facilities for the students.
About torturing the students, the officer said he had been informed of the matter and he had warned the headmaster and the management committee president over phone of taking legal action against them if the allegations were found true after investigation.
