Students, guardians and common people of the char area have been holding a human chain and rally for a long time demanding the protection of Chanka High School in Baraid Union of Saturia Upazila of Manikganj.
Locals claimed that there was no school in Chanka Char area before 2015. That is why the children of the char area were deprived of the opportunity of education. In 2015, the school was set up in the Dhaleshwari River Char area with the help of the char people’s own fund.
Locals alleged that the school's president Mohammad Shahjahan is trying to shift the school elsewhere as it is MPO affiliated and a four-storey building has been proposed to be constructed.
The people of the Dhaleshwari river char area claimed that the children of this area are studying here. It's their emotional space. If the school is moved elsewhere, it will make it difficult for the children of the area to get an education. But ignoring the opinions of all classes of people in the area, efforts are being made to shift the school to the west side of the river. The people of the char area claim that the school will not be allowed to be shifted elsewhere in any way, even if it is necessary.
The soft-spoken students of the school said, "We will not allow the school of our life to be relocated. It is our heartfelt demand that this school will stay here. And if the school is removed, we will protest at the highest level in the country."
Mohammad Shahjahan, president of the school, said the school has been affected by river erosion. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed to move the educational institutions in the river erosion affected areas to safer places quickly. In continuation of this, I have applied to shift the school to a safe place beside Chanka Bazar on the west bank of the river. If the school is relocated, the building will be officially allocated. Besides, children on both sides of the river will have the opportunity to study well.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shanta Rahman said, we have been asked by the education board to conduct an inquiry into the erosion of Chanka Secondary School. I visited the school. One side wants the school to be on the other side of the river and the other side wants the school to move to the other side of the river. I've heard both sides. I saw the real situation. We will submit a report considering the overall situation. Then the Board of Education will decide whether the school will stay on one side or go to the other side.
ZH