Cattle market on school premises

Arrangement of a cattle haat (weekly market) on the premises of Dhankhali High School in Kalapara upazila has been posing serious health risks for the teachers, students and guardians.

The weekly cattle market has also become a nuisance for over 700 students of the institution as they had to attend classes in dirty environment.

The regular once a week cattle market started on the high school compound about a decade ago, local people said.

The market, arranged every Sunday, also causes suspension of classes around 12:00noon, student said.

Locals said every Sunday over a thousand cattle are brought to the market for trading.

As a result, around 700 students of the school have to suffer a lot due to bad odour and a dirty playground.

Mohammad Zakaria, a 10th grader of the school, said, “It is very difficult for us to attend classes as bad odour spreads from the school ground.”

Another 10th grader Rima Akhter said due to dirty environment of our classrooms we feel very uneasy in our classes.

Considering the students' interest, the authorities concerned should take immediate steps in this regard, Rima added.

“We have been facing the problem for nearly 10 years now,” Headmaster of Dhankhali High School Abdus Salam said, adding that they have to start classes at 8:00am and close school activities 12:00noon every Sunday as they all feel very uneasy.

The headmaster said they urged the upazila administration to relocate the cattle market somewhere else, but to no avail.

Newly elected local union parishad (UP) Chairman Reaz Uddin said they will take necessary step to relocate the market and free the school ground.

School managing committee Chairman Abdul Wahab Munshi said they requested the upazila administration to shift the market to another place, but steps are yet to be taken.

Kalapara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tanveer Rahman said considering the students' interest he will take immediate step to relocate the cattle market to another place.