Some local land grabbers blessed by the ruling party Awami League have built at least 35 shops on the land of Ziala Government Primary School at Harinakunda upazila, Jhenaidah.
As the land grabbers are from the ruling party, teachers and employees of the school prefer to keep mum over the issue in fear of retaliation.
But some staff who proffered to be unnamed told the Dhaka Tribune that some people from the Awami League, including Habibur Rahman, secretary of village unit Awami League with his cohorts Samad Mia, Rahmat Ullah and Anisur Rahman, have erected these shops on the middle of 2014 under the very nose of upazila education office as well as district administration.
Since then, these people have been running these shops to do brisk business. But the school authorities are yet to file any complaint to upazila education office.
Education officer of the upazila Md Akbar Ali told this correspondent over cell phone that he had heard about the matter two days ago.
He said: “No one can occupy the government’s land illegally. I will definitely look into the matter soon.”
The school has been built in 1972 on 57 decimals of land of which the encroaches have already gobbled up 33 decimals land. Currently, a total of 292 students are studding at the school.
While talking to this correspondent the students expressed their disappointment about space shortage.
Farzana Aktar, a student of class V said they could not play during tiffin period as the school ground is congested.
“We want a big field for removing our monotony,” she said.
Another student Masum Hossain of class III said: “We cannot play cricket and football because our playground is very small. We need a large field.”
Another students who could not dare to mention his name told the Dhaka Tribune that one year ago the play ground was bigger, but it is shrinking day by day.
Asked about why the school authority did not take stand against the construction of shops of their land, headmaster of the school Rezaul Islam said he tried to raise voice, later preferred to keep mum as the land grabbers threaten his with dire consequence.
But some sources of the school said the headmaster could not complaint to the upazila education office.
“If he informed the education office about the illegal occupation, the office may take steps against it, but he did not do it for unknown reason.”
Local land grabbers of ruling party have built 35 shops and establishments illegally on 33 decimal lands out of 57 of Ziala government primary school under Harinakundo upazila of the district. They do not pay any house rent, alleged the headmaster of the school.
