Weekly market on school ground
Academic activities at two educational institutions in Kalapara upazila of the district are badly hampered due to dirty environment as the common playground of the two schools is used as a haat (weekly makeshift market) every Thursday.
Over 500 students of Tiakhali KI Islam High School and an adjacent non-government primary school are facing the menace for the last one and a half years.
Local people have been arranging the weekly market every Thursday since the permanent place of the haat was washed away by the Tiakhali river over one and a half years ago.
Every Thursday, authorities of both the schools are compelled to suspend the classes by 12:00noon although earlier the closing time was 2:00pm.
During a visit to the area on a haat day, this correspondent saw both the schools shut and traders selling different commodities like vegetables, rice, paddy and other things.
Villagers said hundreds of cattle are also brought to the haat for sale and as the atmosphere becomes very noisy during haat days, it is very difficult for the students to continue their study in such an environment.
Around 500 students of the two institutions are deprived of playing as the common ground of the schools remains dirty and unfit for sports for most of the days due to the haat, locals added.
Mizanur Rahman, a Class IX student at Tiakhali KI Islam High School, said it is very difficult for them to attend their class as bad smell always spreads from the school ground.
Another student Abul Hasan said they often have to clean the ground to get rid of the bad odour.
Mizanur Rahman, headmaster of non-government primary school, said they have to close classes during the haat day a bit early, considering interest of the villagers.
Shawkat Hossain, headmaster of Tiakhali KI Islam High School, said villagers set up the haat on the school ground since the permanent spot for the haat was eroded by the nearby river.
Assistant Upazila Education Officer Rafiqul Islam said he will take necessary steps after visiting the spot soon.
Upazila Secondary Education Officer Moniruzzaman Khan said steps will be taken to shift the haat to another place.
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