Several students of Sitaikunda Govt Primary School in Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj have complained of being charged for free textbooks provided by the government.
On the day of the textbook distribution festival, the school authorities took Tk100 to Tk200 from students from the pre-primary level to the fifth grade, giving them a receipt.
The headteacher also allegedly took Tk50 for new admissions and charged outgoing fifth graders Tk200 for testimonials.
The incident caused massive outrage among the students and their parents.
Some third-graders said they had to pay Tk120 for the new books, while second-graders paid Tk100.
One parent, on condition of anonymity, said her child did not get his books as he could not pay for them.
Headteacher Shahadat Hossein Haoladar said: “I have taken the money on the instructions of the school management committee.”
The president of the committee, Abdur Rashid Howladar, said: “We have collected the funds for the annual sports day of the school. The money will also be used for the development of the school.”
Kotalipara Upazila Education Officer Amzad Hossein said no school is allowed to take money from students for the books.
“Action will be taken against the school if the allegations are true,” he added.
