School under threat of collapse

A primary school is under threat of collapse due to landslide following breaking down of a nearby pond's boundary wall in Nandail upazila.

Dakkhin Koirati Government Primary School was established on a 50-decimal land in 1977.

To accommodate the rush of students, another building was constructed in 2010, said school sources. The school was nationalised in 2013.

There was a pond near the school. Due to breaking down of the pond's boundary wall for some 15 years, it has already covered around 21-decimal of the school land but none took initiative yet to protect the school, said local people.

The two buildings of the school are now under serious threat as the earth alongside the buildings has been washed away due to pressure from pond water, they said.

Headmaster ABM Anwarul Haque said there are some 200 students in the school but they cannot play on their field as its size has shrunken over the years.

They have already informed the authorities concerned to take immediate steps but nothing has been done yet, he said.

Atiqur Rahman Khan, former president of the school managing committee, said the primary school is the lone one in the area and it should be protected from the landslide.

To protect the school from being devoured, a guide wall must be constructed and then earth filling must be done, said Atiqur Rahman.

Assistant Upazila Education Officer Afroza Begum, who visited the school recently, said the matter was discussed at upazila coordination meeting last month for immediate step to protect the school. But no work was started yet.