The Education Engineering Department (EED) is playing a key role in the infrastructural development of educational institutions in the hill tract areas. As part of its operation in Rangamati, the EED has played an important role in the district over the past 15 years. It has implemented a total of 185 projects, including government high schools, private secondary schools, government colleges, madrasas and technical education institutions. Rangamati EED has spent Tk225.54 crore in implementing these projects. Those concerned believe that the government has played a significant role in the development of infrastructure in the field of education in distant areas of the district.
According to sources at Rangamati EED, a total of 17 schools were constructed in the district at a cost of Tk5.62 crore under a project for the construction of academic buildings in the financial years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. In order to improve the quality of education, development work on eight educational institutions was undertaken at a cost of Tk21.93 crore between 2012-2013 to 2022-2023. Of them, work on five institutions has been completed. A technical college has been constructed in Rangamati at a cost of Tk9.40 crore. In the financial year 2010-2011 and 2016-2017, six model high school buildings were constructed at a cost of Tk12.28 crore.
In 2014-2015 and 2022-2023, development work was undertaken for eight private colleges aiming at providing tech-based education at a cost of Tk2.25 crore. In 2017-2018, seven infrastructures of seven madrasahs were improved. Academic buildings of six other madrasas were built at a cost of Tk7.19 between 2019-2020 and 2022-2023. Between 2010-2011 and 2022-2023, the development project of 32 educational institutions was undertaken under the physical infrastructure development project of primary secondary schools at a cost of Tk44.45 crore. Of them, work is still going on in five educational institutions. Between 2018-2019 and 2022-2023, ten school construction projects were undertaken under a project titled Upward Expansion of Selected Primary Secondary Schools at a cost of Tk19.10 crores. Of them, work on 10 schools has already been completed, and the work for 3 more schools is currently ongoing. Under the project titled Development of Government Secondary Schools, the construction project of 13 schools was taken up at a cost of Tk17.71 crore in 2018-2019 and 2022-2023. Construction and expansion of non-residential buildings in two technical and madrasa educational institutions has been completed at a cost of Tk65 lakh in 2022-23.
Infrastructural development was carried out by the Rangamati EED in various institutions. They include Kharikshyong High School, Bandubhanga High School, Baradam Smriti Bidyapith, Longdu High School, Betbunia High School, Kaptai High School, Ghilachari High School, Durgum Rajasthani Upazila and Rajasthani Taitang Para Government High School. The list also includes Thegakhubbang High School, Barkal Upazila, Barunachhari High School, Barkal Upazila, Sublong High School, Banyogi Rhama High School, Jurachhari Upazila, Barachhari Nurul Huda Quadri High School, Kaptai Upazila, Al-Amin Nuria Madrasa of Kaptai, Narangiri Government High School of Kaptai, Rangamati Government Girls High School, Bara Harina Lower Secondary School of Barkal Upazila of Rangamati, Rabeta Model High School, Mainimukh Islamia Alim Madrasa, Bengalhalia High School of Rajasthani Upazila, Ghilachari of Nanijarchar Upazila. High School, Rani Dayamoyi High School, Kachalong Islamia Madrasa, Baghaichhari, Tulaban High School, Longadu Model College, Kaukhali College, Shijak College, Karnaphuli College, Bangalhalia College, Rangamati Government College and Bangladesh-Sweden Polytechnic Institute.
Sukumar Barua, former headmaster of Kharikshang High School said his school was in a dilapidated condition. The EED elevated the school into a two-storied one during the current government's tenure. Currently, 250 students are studying in this school, he added. As a result of the infrastructural development, the students are able to concentrate on their studies in a clean and beautiful environment, the former headmaster said.
Arun Kanti Chakma, headmaster of Baradam Smriti Bidyapith, said: “This school was once an abandoned building. Later, EED constructed the new building.”
Azgar Ali, acting principal of Longadu Government Model College, said: “We thank our member of parliament Dipankar Talukder and former minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing for constructing a four-storied building on the campus. He said, currently 1400 students are studying in this college. All the teachers and students of the college are happy as a result of the infrastructural development.”
Bijak Chakma, the executive engineer of Rangamati EED, said that during the tenure of the current government, several projects have been completed and some projects are still ongoing. He said that Farua High School in Bilaichhari and Thegamukh Khubbang High School in Barkal along the Indian border—are some examples of how deep into the remote areas these projects were implemented. This is a huge milestone of the government’s development spree, he added.
