Rajshahi sub-post office becomes a mobile repairing shop

RAJSHAHI, Aug 19: Once a busy station for the delivery of handwritten letters crafted to suit various communication needs, the sub-post office at Char Ashariadah in Rajshahi's Godagari upazila is now rented out to a mobile repairman, as locals object strongly to the unlawful use of a government institution.

Rows of phone chargers, circuit boards, and spare parts for fans can now be seen stored inside from the window of the post office, whereas a decade ago its use was just limited to its purpose.

The red letterbox still hangs on the wall outside-perhaps the last visible trace that this was once a functioning post office. But step inside, and you'll find mobile phone screens, tools, and servicing gadgets strewn across an old wooden desk. In the backroom, a young man is busy repairing a handset.

That man is Rubel, a local youth who now uses the space with informal permission. "The postmaster let me sit here," Rubel told this correspondent. "I pay Tk 400-500 a month as rent. I have no appointment letter. If the postmaster asks me to leave, I will."

Kofil Uddin, a local resident, said that "Post offices were once the backbone of rural communication-letters, money orders, and official documents all passed through here. Now, when I walk by, I remember those days. But the digital age has pushed all that aside."

Nishan Ali, another resident, expressed deep frustration, "This is a government office turned into a shop. No letters, no staff-just a neglected building with 'post office' still written outside. It's disgraceful."

For Imam Hossain, a local student, the change undermines public trust. He also said, "This is the only post office in our union. If even this turns into a shop, how can we trust the government to preserve our institutions?"

Postmaster Golam Zarjis admitted that Rubel had been informally asked to oversee the office in the absence of official activity.

"I've told him several times to leave. He still hasn't," Zarjis said. When asked how much revenue the post office earns from the arrangement, he replied, "I deposit Tk 100 per month to the office."

Contacted for comment, Kazi Asadul Islam, postmaster general of the northern region, confirmed the situation was unacceptable.

He also said, "No government building can be rented out like this. It's illegal. If someone works as an entrepreneur, they must have formal appointment documents. Mobile servicing is not permitted. I've ordered an investigation, and action will be taken."

anaetru@gmail.com