Chilahati govt college limps

Academic activities at Chilahati Government College in Domar upazila are being hindered badly as the institution has been facing different problems for long.

The problems include, shortage of teachers, lack of students' dormitory and grabbing of college land.

As a result, many guardians from nearby villages do not prefer to admit their children in the college and opt for other educational institutions in distant areas.

According to the college authorities, out of a total of 26 posts of teachers only 13 are currently posted here.

But as most of them come from distant places like Nilphamari Sadar, Saidpur and Rangpur, they often remain absent, siting communication hazardous. 

Professor Nazrul Islam, principal of the college, said due to lack of adequate teachers they often cannot hold classes of different compulsory subjects like Mathematics, Accounting and ICT.

But sometime Biology or Chemistry teachers take Mathematics class in order to complete the syllabus.

During a visit to the college compound a few weeks ago this correspondent saw about 40 to 50 students loitering at the campus, though the authorities claim the institution has a total of 700 students, of which nearly 50 percent are female.

Many guardians and students alleged that no female student resides at the lone girls' hostel, built about a decade ago, as the building is occupied by male teachers for long.

Moreover, almost all the doors and windows of the dormitory are either completely or partially damaged and there is no permanent night guard as well.

Admitting the fact, Swapan Mia, a teacher at the English department, said some of his male colleagues are compel to live in the hostel building, prior to important events like public examinations.

The college, established on 1.29 acres land in 1974 and later nationalized in 1987, has an additional 3.6 acres of cultivable land, leased out to local farmers, locals said, adding that though the land are occupied by some influential, no step has been taken to free it.

Principal Professor Nazrul Islam said he has written several letters to the higher authorities, addressing the problems, but nothing has been done so far.