Reclaim school lands from grabbers

Primary school students, their parents, and civil society members at a rally in front of Central Shaheed Minar in the capital yesterday demand that the government take immediate steps to reclaim the grabbed lands of 28 state-run primary schools in Dhaka city, and resume operations of Champa Parul and Samajik Shikkhakendra schools, buildings of which were demolished. Photo: Star

Primary school students, their parents and civil society members yesterday demanded that the government immediately reclaim the grabbed lands of 28 state-run primary schools in the capital to ensure the poor children's right to education.

They made the demand at a rally organised jointly by Nagorik Sanghati and non-government organisation Amar Odhikar at Central Shaheed Minar in the capital.

The programme was organised protesting the grabbing of the lands of the 28 schools and demolition of the buildings of two of them--Champa Parul Girls High School and Samajik Shikkhakendra Government Primary School.

Addressing the gathering, columnist Syed Abul Maksud said, “A culture of grabbing--of land, river and forest--is prevailing in the country. School grabbing is a new element in that culture.”

Terming grabbing of school land a “violation of human rights”, Maksud said taking away the right to education of children will cripple the nation. "Without the favour of the government, how can the land grabbers roam freely?" he asked.

Former student leader Ruhin Hasan Prince said, "Only schools where poor students go to fall victim to grabbing, but the schools for the affluent never face such problems."

“Why do you not take any action against the grabbers when they strip them of their [the students'] education?” journalist Abu Sayed Khan questioned the education minister. 

Many students of Champa Parul and Samajik Shikkhakendra attended the programme holding placards stating “Return our school land from grabbers”, and “We want our right to education.”