Eight education centres in tea gardens face closure

Eight education centres for the school dropout children of tea garden labourers in Kamalganj upazila face the risk of closure at any time following a case filed against these centres.
'Socio Economic Welfare Activities' (SEWA), a local NGO, is conducting those educational centres for the under-privileged children of tea garden labourers.
As officials of the donor organisation, German-Bangladesh Association, have been accused in the case filed by an expelled member the organisation, donation for the programme may be withdrawn from 2008, SEWA President Shamsul Haque Mintu said while reading out a written statement at a press conference.
More than 200 guardians and their children were present at the conference held at an education centre in Shamshernagar Tea Garden on Saturday.
SEWA set up eight Child Education Centres at eight labourers' slums in Shamsernagar tea garden in Kamalganj upazila to educate the tea garden labourers' children, Mintu said.
"After SEWA had applied for fund to German-Bangladesh Association in Germany, five representatives of the organisation visited Shamshernagar tea garden two times and inspected the activities of the Child Education Centres of the SEWA.
Haider Choudhury, an expelled member of German-Bangladesh Association, also took a similar project at his home village in Feni district but his attempt to draw grant from the association failed, Mintu said, adding that later the association allocated around Tk 60 thousand for SEWA project at Shamsherna-gar Tea Garden.
"Haider Choudhury gave power of attorney to his younger brother Moshud Choudhury who on December 8, 2005 filed a case against four members of German-Bangladesh Association, a member of SEWA, a teacher of a child education centre and the chairman of Shamshernagar Union Parishad, the SEWA president said in the press conference."
Kamalganj police submitted an investigation report to Moulvibazar Magistrate's Court but following plaintiff Moshud Choudhury's 'no confidence', the magistrate sent it to Cognizance Court No-1, Mintu said.
German-Bangladesh Association is now reconsidering their decision about whether to continue their funding for SEWA project, said the SEWA president. He sought the interference of the caretaker government for smooth functioning of the eight education centres.