Lalmohan (Bhola) Correspondent

The construction of a new building of a secondary school at Lalmohan in Bhola was supposed to be completed within one and a half years, but due to the negligence of the contractor, it was not completed even after five years.

As a result, the authorities of Hajiganj Secondary School of Charbhuta Union of the upazila complained that they have to carry out teaching activities in a small dangerous building.

It is learnt that under the development project of the selected private schools under the implementation of Directorate of Education and Engineering Bhola, the construction work of the five-storey building of Hajiganj Secondary School has been started by the contracting company M/s Eli Enterprise in the financial year 2019-20 at the cost of Tk 3 crore 2 lakh.

Although the work started in April 2019 was supposed to be completed in October 2020, the teachers and students of the school are in trouble as it has not been completed in five long years. Currently, about 400 students are being taught in 4 rooms of a dilapidated one-story building. Students of the school said that plaster often falls from the roof of this building. Big cracks in the roof, walls and pillars of the building. Even after seeing all this, I am afraid to sit and study under this building. Sultana Akhtar, Head Teacher of Hajiganj Secondary School said, I got the new building of the school, the work of which started five years ago. As it has not yet been completed, teaching has to be done in dilapidated buildings. In the future, the number of students will increase, then teaching may have to be done in the field. Repeatedly informing the concerned department to complete the work of the building to no avail.

Alleging massive irregularities in the work of the new building, he further said that the work has been done with low-quality bricks and materials. Steel suttering work is going on with bamboo. The son of the contractor Shahabuddin brought people and threatened them.

Meanwhile, Khokon Goldar, the owner of M/s Eli Enterprises, a building contractor, said, Shahabuddin of Lalmohan took the work from me. He can't be made to work even by repeatedly beating him. I asked to return the work, it is not doing that either. When asked about this, Shahabuddin, the road contractor in the building, said, "Who put you behind me?" You don't understand contracting, I understand mine well. Bhola Sadar Upazila Bhola Sadar Upazila Sub-Assistant Engineer Md. Monir Hossain said that the contractor has already delayed the completion of the work. However, a fixed time is given to complete the work in a quick time.

Necessary measures will be taken if there is any deviation in that time. Meanwhile, it has been found that the construction of two more school buildings in Lalmohan Upazila along with Hajiganj Secondary School has been done by the same contractor.

All the work is slow, as a result the teachers and students of these educational institutions are suffering.