Panic keeps kids away from schools
Two days after the Rupganj furore, very few school students turned up for their classes yesterday as an uneasy tension prevailed in the area.
Students of Rupganj and Kayetpara unions in Narayanganj were unwilling to attend classes in fear of fresh violence. Movement of law enforcers in the locality has also unnerved them greatly.
Visiting two primary and one high schools, this correspondent found that teachers were giving lectures to a handful of students as opposed to normal schooling days.
Out of 427 students in classes VI to IX, 181 were present at Kazi Abdul Mazid High School under Rupganj union. The class X students did not attend school, as their classes were suspended for the preparation of ensuing secondary school certificate exams.
Headmaster of the school Md Abdul Latif said many students absented themselves from classes following Saturday's violent clashes between law enforcers and villagers over 'forced purchase of land' by army officers for an army housing scheme.
“Fearing fresh violence, guardians are not sending their children to school. They are also scared to see movement of huge number of law enforcers,” he told The Daily Star, adding only 37 class VII students out of 110 attended school yesterday, while 12 out of 52 were present in section A of class IX.
During the regular schooling days, around 80 percent students attend classes, mentioned Abdul Latif, whereas only around 40 percent students turned up after Saturday's clashes.
Mazeda Begum, mother of a class VI student of the school, said she was not allowing her daughter to attend classes due to the unease in the area.
At Moushuri Registered Primary School, no students from class I to class IV, except three in class III, turned up yesterday.
Headmaster of the school Robindrachandra Sarker said over 300 students attend school normally, while only 32 of class V came yesterday. They came to sit for a model test scheduled earlier.
The school is around 200 yards from an army camp, which was burnt by aggrieved villagers during the violence.
Synthiya, a class III student of the school, told this correspondent that her classmates are frightened to see the movement of huge number of policemen.
“Usually, our classroom becomes full with the presence of students, but we are only three today,” she added.
Attendance at Jangir High School of Kayetpara union was no exception. Headmaster of the school Shakhawat Hossain said a large number of students remained absent following the violence in the area.
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