The entire three-storey SESDP Model High School building sank into the Padma river on Thursday evening as riverbanks gave way in Nuruddin Madborkandi village in Shibchar upazila of Madaripur.
Locals said the school building broke in two and was devoured completely by the Padma by evening time. By Thursday night the school grounds were also swept away by the river.
Around 300 students from 24 villages studied at the school founded in 2009. The students were mostly from small villages in remote Char areas and it was the only school for them close to home and the building had adequate facilities, said locals.
Union Parishad Member Md Ismail on Thursday said: "loud cracking noises had been coming from the school since Wednesday night and locals thronged to see the building split in two and leaned into the Padma.
Photo: Dhaka Tribune
"The school building was attractive and had a nice atmosphere around it. Locals were in tears when they saw their dear school collapsing in front of their own eyes."
Shibchar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Asaduzzaman on Thursday said: "We have been dropping geo bags at the river since last year to slow down its erosion. The Chief Whip corresponded with the ministry a number of times. It prompted the Water Development Board to dump geo bags to prevent erosion. But the unrelenting Padma couldn't be calmed down and finally the school was claimed by the river."
The UNO added that thousands of families who had to suffer loss in this season's erosion were assisted with foodstuffs.
