Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Darkness under the light. A green grass field surrounded by the shade of big trees. Rows of houses with white walls on one side. The dust layer on the veranda, the orange shutters of the doors give a feeling of carelessness.

The darkness that can be seen when you peek inside through the window, although the darkness is somewhat alleviated if the shutters are open, is clearly visible, the chairs, tables and blackboards are almost submerged in darkness. Nivedita Primary School, established in 1919 the institution from which the light of education spread to the entire plains and the city of Cumilla a century ago, is immersed in darkness. Due to various crises and carelessness, the life of the children's school in Cumilla , which is known as the foothills of education and literature culture, is about to go out.

Once upon a time, this school was bustling with hundreds of students, but now only a handful of them sit at the stools and tables in orange shirts and kameez. The main gate of the big gate is no longer useful, students come and go through the teachers' room - through the alleys of the Nivedita Student's Residence. Eminent people of Cumilla said that Mahesh Chandra Bhattacharya founded this school in the name of Sister Nivedita, a prominent social worker in this subcontinent.

Sister Nivedita played a huge role in changing the education and social system in the Indian subcontinent. Compared to the brightness of the famous Mahesangan in Santiniketan of East Bengal, including Rammala Library, Ishwarpathshala, Nivedita Student's Residence - its affiliate Nivedita Primary School is like darkness under the lamp. Nivedita School Darkness under the Light Dipali Dasgupta, the headmistress of the school, believes that the number of students is decreasing day by day due to the lack of modernization and the inability to keep up with the surrounding kindergartens or primary schools. She said that now the number of students has decreased so much that it makes me cry. It still teaches from nursery to fifth grade. Nursery started in this school since 2011.

Currently, 5 female teachers are working here. Sourav Kumar Dev, the current trustee of Cumilla Maheshangan, established by world-renowned philanthropist Mahesh Chandra Bhattacharya, said that this institution is still run by the Maheshangan Trust. New ideas are being thought of to bring back the old tradition of the school. It is known that Nivedita Primary School was established in 1919 in Maheshangan (Ishwar Pathshala) of Cumilla in the name of Sister Nivedita.

This school was established to ensure primary and moral education for children from the surrounding area and to provide jobs to women with special needs. This school was famous in the entire Cumilla region for not only educating children in primary education, but also for teaching religious etiquette and ethics. Apart from Cumilla , many people came here from Brahmanbaria, Chandpur and Noakhali to study here. Around 1964, prominent writer Sunanda Kabir taught at Nivedita Primary School. While reminiscing, she said that Nivedita Primary School played a unique role in the moral education and primary education of the children of Comilla city.

Along with the Banedi family, children from ordinary families also came to study here. Children from Hindu families as well as Muslim families also studied here. Those who taught here would instill moral etiquette and ethics in the children. In the 60s, Shefali Pal, a resident of Badurtala in Cumilla , was a student of Nivedita School. Later, she taught at this school. He said that many students have been established in various important and responsible positions in the country after studying in this school. In the 70s, at least 250 students from first to sixth grade studied here every year. People like former principal of Eden College Supriya Bhattacharya, eminent doctor Kaveri Guha and Shivprasad Nandi have studied here.

All those who taught and studied here did not get moral education from here at the beginning of their educational life. Regarding the current condition of the school, he said that the school has lost its former glory. However, if the Maheshangon authorities want, it is possible to restore its reputation again. Eminent writer and educationist Shanti Ranjan Bhowmik said that the political guru of anti-British movement revolutionaries Shanti Ghosh and Suniti Chowdhury was Prafulla Rani Brahma. She was a teacher at Nivedita Primary School. Meanwhile, Cumilla District Primary Education Officer Md. Shafiul Alam said that if the Maheshangon Trust wants, it can talk to us. If we are told what kind of cooperation they need, we hope that no good measures have been taken regarding Nivedita Primary School. The Maheshangan Trust and the district administration must take responsibility to save the Nivedita Primary School, which is dying due to carelessness and neglect.

This poor condition of such an educational institution in the heart of the city cannot be accepted. Everyone is responsible here. We hope that the school will once again be filled with students. We hope that the members of the Maheshangan Trust will also take responsibility and take appropriate measures.