88 Moulvibazar schools under floodwater

Classes at 88 primary schools, madrasas and high schools in the district have remained suspended from Wednesday as the institutions went under water following flash floods triggered by heavy rain and onrush of water from the hills.

The affected institutions include 54 government primary schools -- three are in Moulvibazar Sadar, three in Rajnagar, 24 in Kulaura, 17 in Barlekha and seven in Juri upazila, said sources at the district primary education office.

Twenty high schools and 14 madrasas in the district have also been submerged, forcing the authorities to suspend classes, officials said.

“We cannot attend classes as our school is waterlogged,” said Josna Begum, a Class VII student of Kandigaon High School in Rajnagar upazila.

“Fifty-four primary schools suspended classes from Wednesday due to flooding. They will resume classes as soon as the water recedes,” said Md Abdul Alim, district primary education officer in Moulvibazar.

“Twenty high schools and 14 madrasas in the district have been submerged by floodwater that is causing damage to the infrastructure and furniture of the institutions. We are trying to estimate the losses,” said ASM Abdul Wadud, district education officer of Moulvibazar.

Bijay Indra Shankar Chakraborty, executive engineer of Water Development Board in Moulvibazar, said the Kushiara river was flowing 7cm below the danger mark at Sherpur point on Saturday.