Bhandaria (Pirojpur) Correspondent

A tense situation has gripped Bhandaria Police Station Girls' Secondary School in Pirojpur following a bitter standoff between the headmaster and several assistant teachers over allegations of financial irregularities, internal politics, administrative friction, and the commercialization of private coaching during school hours.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday evening. School Headmaster S.M. Mofijur Rahman alleged that in 2022, under the influence of then-managing committee president and local political figures alongside their loyalists, he was held virtually captive and forced to comply with various irregularities.

He claimed that a faction comprising suspended assistant headmaster Mst. Hamida Begum and several other teachers fabricated official documents, misappropriated funds from the district council, and pocketed approximately 14,98,500 taka collected as student tuition and fees instead of depositing it into the bank.

The headmaster stated that after a previous false case filed against him was dismissed by the court, he initiated two separate legal cases against the accused individuals concerning corruption and defamation. He accused the vested interest group of launching a conspiracy against him in retaliation for taking legal steps against the wrongdoers, halting the lucrative private coaching trade generating 70,000 to 80,000 taka monthly, and enforcing strict regulations requiring teachers to refrain from using mobile phones in classrooms or leaving the workplace without prior permission.

Questioning the role of the local administration, the headmaster further stated that on August 16, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Hasibul Hasan visited the school without any prior notice or written letter. During the visit, he claimed he was denied the opportunity to defend himself and was publicly humiliated in front of teachers and journalists, while crucial school documents were seized without receipts or formal documentation.

He added that on August 17, the UNO visited classrooms and remarked to students that financial irregularities had occurred at the school, tarnishing his reputation, which subsequently led to students staging a protest memorandum against him on August 18. He demanded the direct intervention of the Deputy Commissioner and District Education Officer to ensure a fair investigation and the return of the seized documents.

UNO Md. Hasibul Hasan ssid, he visited the institution based on written complaints from multiple assistant teachers and after duly informing the headmaster beforehand.