No Shaheed Minar at 650 Jashore pry schools

Most of the government primary schools in Jashore are without any Shaheed Minar, a monument to commemorate the martyrs of 1952 Language Movement.

According to Jashore district education office sources, 650 out of 900 government primary schools in Jashore have no Shaheed Minar.

Of 650 schools, 77 are in Sadar upazila, 65 in Bagharpara, 86 in Avaynagar, 84 in Jhikargachha, 60 in Chougachha upazila, 138 in Monirampur, 60 in Sharsha and the rest in Keshabpur upazila.

Students at some of these institutions build makeshift Shaheed Minars to pay tribute to the Language Movement martyrs.

Rahima Khatun, a student of Dattapara Government Primary School in Sadar upazila, said "We can't pay tribute to the Language Movement martyrs on February 21 every year as there is no Shaheed Minar on the school premises.

Abdul Jabbar, headmaster of the school, said it is true that there is no Shaheed Minar at the school.

They could not construct Shaheed Minar on the institution premises due to lack of fund, said the headmaster.

Sadar Upazila Education Officer Kamruzzaman Jahangir said 77 government primary schools in the upazila have no Shaheed Minar. They have made a list of these institutions and sent it to the district education officer.

ASM Abdul Khalek, the district education officer, said they are trying to manage government funds to construct Shaheed Minars at the schools.

Shammi Islam, additional deputy commissioner of Jashore, said many schools could not construct Shaheed Minars because they have no space.

They will take necessary steps to construct Shaheed Minars at all educational institutions in the district, said Shammi Islam.