More than 3,000 children in 33 enclaves under Lalmonirhat district are deprived of primary education as there is no primary school in these Bangladesh’s territories surrounded by India.
Enclave people alleged that they found themselves nowhere to go as Indian schools refuse to enrol their children and Indian authorities bar them from going to a school in Bangladesh’s mainland as well.
Bangladeshi government provides free primary education, along with free books and monthly stipend to check dropout. Besides, the government in association with World Food Programme distributes vitamin-enriched biscuits during school hours to ensure good nutrition of primary school children in poverty-stricken regions of different northern districts.
However, the enclave people are unfortunate enough to avail of the education facilities offered by Bangladesh government for all school going children. They are Bangladeshi by papers but denied of all basic rights.
Talking to this correspondent, the parents of the enclave children expressed their frustration over the uncertain future of their children.
Sobarot Ali, 45, an inhabitant of Kuchlibari enclave under Patgram upazila said: “Seeing the eagerness of my two sons, I took them to an Indian school named Ramganj Primary School in Jolpaiguri district in January this year. The school authority did not agree to enrol my sons saying that they are Bangladeshi.”
Delowat Hossain, 35, an inhabitant of Kisamot Batri Gachh enclave under Aditmari upazila also echoed Sobarot Ali’s statement. He alleged that his daughter was denied admission at Gidaldah Primary School in Kuchbihar district in January.
“My daughter cried but they did not allow her to join the school,” he added.
Lalmonirhat District Primary Education Officer Nabez Uddin Sarker, admitting the narrow situation for Bangladeshi enclave children to study in Indian schools, said Indian enclave children easily get opportunity to read in Bangladeshi school.
Terming it a “high official matter,” the education officer said: “We do not have any plan to build primary schools at the Bangladeshi enclaves.”
Meanwhile, enclave people still believe that the government of Bangladesh and India could reach an understanding to make sure that enclave children get access to education, which is their universal and birth right. The children should either be enrolled in Indian schools or allowed to travel freely to any nearby Bangladeshi school, they demanded.
