Sarkar Shahadat Hossain, Gaibandha

Whenever it rains, the school field becomes submerged in water. Students struggle through mud and water to attend classes, while teachers also face severe difficulties. Outdoor sports and recreational activities come to a halt. This is the situation at Dariapur Amanullah High School in Gaibandha Sadar Upazila.

To address the problem, a decision was made in 2024 to fill the school field with soil, and a budget of BDT 600,000 was allocated for the project. However, even after two years, no earth-filling work has been carried out. This has raised questions among local residents: Was the allocated money pocketed by the former president of the school managing committee or by the headmaster.

According to allegations, following the political upheaval and the fall of the government in 2024, the then president of the school managing committee and the headmaster allegedly took advantage of the situation and misappropriated the allocated funds.

When contacted by phone, Headmaster Wafiul Habib Sittu denied the allegations. He stated that no one had embezzled the money and that the allocated funds remain deposited in the bank. However, he did not explain why the field has not been filled despite the passage of two years.
Local residents continue to ask why the project remains incomplete and when the suffering of students will finally come to an end.

Gaibandha District Education Officer Ataur Rahman said that waterlogging in the field causes significant hardship for students. He added that the headmaster has been instructed to pump out the accumulated water.

However, local residents and guardians allege that excessive machine rental costs are being shown for draining the water, and that funds are being misappropriated in the process.

Regarding the matter, Gaibandha Sadar UNO.Sabuj Kumar Basak said he was not fully aware of the allegations but that the issue was being looked into. He added that appropriate action would be taken if the allegations are proven true.