Schools waterlogged half the year
Students of a primary school and a high school in Santahar municipality area of Adamdighi upazila cannot play sports and games on their school ground as it remains waterlogged for six months a year.
Established in 1942, SMI Academy Government Primary School and Sundar Mahmud Islamia (SMI) Academy have 500 students. Of the students, 340 study in SMI Academy, a high school.
The primary school lies just right beside SMI Academy. The primary school was built on 33 decimals of land while the academy on 15 decimals of land.
SMI Academy is mainly the owner of the playground on 76 decimals of land and students of both the schools use it, said Khorseda Khanam, headteacher of the primary school.
The field remains waterlogged for some six months since July every year, causing immense sufferings to students and teachers, she said, adding that the situation has become more serious during the rainy season.
On a recent visit, this correspondent found that the field has remained under rainwater, preventing the students from playing there.
The students even cannot play on the ground during the dry season as outsiders come there to play for not having any boundary walls around the field, said headteacher Khorseda.
Despite repeated pleas, the authorities concerned are yet to take any steps in this regard, she said.
Tahmina Begum, headteacher of SMI Academy, said it is the low-lying ground and due to this, they have been facing the waterlogging problem for long.
She blamed a group of locals, who built houses by grabbing a portion of the playground, for the situation.
Meanwhile, as there is no drainage system to let the rainwater flow out, the stagnant rainwater remains for months, said Tahmina.
They informed the authorities concerned about the matter several times but to no effect yet, she said.
Toffazal Hossain, major of the municipality, said as SMI Academy is the owner of the playground, the school authorities have to fill up the low-lying ground with earth.
After filling up the ground, they can arrange drainage system there, said the mayor.
Headteacher Tahmina said they do not have sufficient fund for the earth filling.
Upazila Education Officer Samsul Islam Dewan said they are trying best to resolve the problem soon.
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