Students' fate hangs in balance
The fate of 43 students of a government primary school in the capital has become uncertain due to a land dispute between the school authorities and Bangladesh Girl Guides Association.
The students of Samajik Shikkhakendra Government Primary School at Bailey Road sat for an exam outdoors for the second consecutive day yesterday, as the association demolished their tin-roof building during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
Teachers and students of the school and Bangladesh Students' Union formed a human chain in front of Jatiya Press Club, protesting removal of the school from the land.
Rawshan Ara Begum, the school's headmistress, said when the school opened after the holidays on August 7, they found the building demolished.
Rawshan, one of the four teachers at the school, said the institution was given government status in 1973, eleven years after the association established it.
“The association demolished the school building without following legal procedures,” she said.
However, showing an order of the primary and mass education ministry, National Commissioner of the association Syeda Rehana Imam said the land belonged to them, and that the school was directed to be merged with Nidhu Smriti Primary School in Bijoynagar of the capital.
The ministry had passed the order in 2002, and revoked it in 2008. However, the High Court in February upheld the ministry's earlier order after the association filed a petition in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has fixed September 7 for hearing an appeal filed by the school authorities against the HC verdict. Chamber judge of the SC held a brief hearing on the petition yesterday, and sent the matter to a full bench.
Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury, lawyer for the association, told The Daily Star that until further order from the SC, the HC's verdict would remain in force, as the chamber did not pass any order on the HC judgement.
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