Gofran Palash, Kalapara (Patuakhali)

She does not work most days of the month. She comes to the office one day and signs the entire attendance book for the week. No one has anything to say against him. She is becoming more reckless in irregularities and corruption day by day. Such allegations have been received against Kalapara Upazila Primary Education Officer Shahida Begum.

Sources said that she illegally took 30-50 thousand from the deputation transfer of teachers. In addition, the office has to pay for everything, including teachers' PRL, LPR, fatigue entertainment, lam grand, maternity leave, loan applications, TA bills, and even pension. The entire 1 lakh 20 thousand allocated for office contingency computer repair, ink, paper and pens goes to him. She also has to pay a percentage from the government allocation for internet per school, cleanliness, gold cups, contingency, renovation and development of primary schools, minor repairs and slip projects. She took 5 percent from the 3 lakh allocated for 5 schools in the Emergency in Education sector. She also took 5 thousand from the allocation for the renovation of polling stations of 32 schools. She illegally collected 10 taka from 1194 primary scholarship candidates for the exam admit cards and took the entire 11,940 taka.

The source further said that the number of students in the East Patua Government Primary School of the upazila is 304, and there are only two teachers. In Char Gangamati School, there are 151 students and two teachers. Out of these, permission has been given to transfer one. In Madhya Patua School, there are 71 students and two teachers. In Golbunia School, there are 102 students and two teachers. In Charpara Pakshiya Para School, there are 90 students and two teachers. In Baulatoli Saidpur School, there are 102 students and two teachers. In Paschim Dhankhali School, there are 102 students and two teachers.

Out of these, she has brought one to the office for office work. In addition, at least 10 more government primary schools have more than 150 students, but there are only three teachers each. No teacher has been posted in these schools to maintain normal teaching in the classrooms for a long time. However, despite having 6 teachers in Basanti Mandal Government Primary School in Nachnapara, Assistant Teacher Laiju Akhtar was posted on deputation from Golbunia Government Primary School to Basanti Mandal Primary School.

Similarly, Sushmita Mitra was posted on deputation from Moric Bunia School to Islampur School. Brishit was posted from Aramganj to South-East Chhota Baliatoli School and Shiuli Begum was posted from East Sonatala to Amirabad School. Several deputation orders are still under process. The UPEO is managing this deputation transfer business by managing the acting District Primary Education Officer, the source claims.

Golam Mustafa Badal, Headmaster of Golbunia Government Primary School, said, "Since Laiju Akhtar was transferred on office deputation, now only two teachers are teaching 102 students from pre-school to fifth grade in the classroom. He commented that teacher Laiju took the deputation transfer by contracting with the education office."

Md. Jahidul Islam, headmaster of South East Chhota Baliatoli Government Primary School, said, "There are 123 students in my school. Although there are 6 posts of teachers, only 4 are working. Out of these, one teacher goes to the school on deputation as per his convenience and the other one comes here. Everyone understands how this happens."

When asked about the deputation transfer to teacher Brishit, she asked her to contact the office. The family of another teacher, Sushmita Mitra, claimed that the deputation transfer was made without any notice.

Meanwhile, Majher Para Government Primary School teacher Mimi Rakhine and Char Chandu Para Government Primary School teacher Nahida Akhter Sumi went abroad without any permission from the Upazila Education Office. In addition, Itbaria Government Primary School teacher Mahmud Alam Palash and Golbunia-2 Government Primary School teacher Md. Zahirul Islam have been absent from work for a long time after August 5, 2012 due to political reasons. The supervision of the Upazila Primary Education Office is only on paper, not in reality. Multiple sources have alleged that the office is busy with corruption and irregularities.

Analysis of the attendance books of the officials and employees of the Upazila Primary Education Office shows that Education Officer Shahida Begum signed in one day till 14th May 2026. The attendance books for the other days are blank. Similarly, on 23rd June 2026, the signature boxes of the officials and employees are blank. However, the signatures of the attendance books were updated in one day after coming to the office on 24th June.

Md. Shahabuddin Talukder, president of a section of the Upazila Primary Teachers' Association, said, 'The office has little contact with me now. So I don't have much information, I am in the dark. However, I hear a lot from the teachers about the office.'

Md. Mizanur Rahman, office assistant cum computer operator of the Primary Education Office, said, "No teacher can say that he has taken any unethical benefit from anyone.

Upazila Primary Education Officer Shahida Begum said, 'You inquire whether the work of minor repairs, slips, emergency in education and electoral polling station renovations has been done properly. Then I will talk to you.'

District In-charge Primary Education Officer Md. Masud Karim said, 'I learned about the primary school's complaint from you, which no one informed me about. In a word, I can say that it is not correct. I will definitely go to Kalapara on a sudden visit and take action if I find out the truth about this after inspecting it.'