Students residing in unfit college hostel in Sunamganj risking their lives

SYLHET, Dec 01: Although the department concerned declared the structure of Krishnachandra Hostel of Sunamgaj Government College 'unfit for use' long ago, many students are still residing there amid risks since the poor boys don't have any alternative. The college authority also issued notice asking them to leave the hostel.

The college at the district town does not have any dormitory for their students while the old one named 'Shahid Taleb hostel' in the Bok point area had been demolished where construction of a five-storey building for the female students is going on. The Krishnachandra hostel in the Ukilpara area is in a dilapidated state for long and had been declared unfit for use long ago.

Most of its doors and windows are worn out while rain water leaks through its roof. It has an arrear of Tk 200,000 in electricity bill and Tk 10,000 in gas bill.

The college authority as the latest move in a written notice asked the inmates for vacating it by October 19 while the Education Engineering Directorate (EED) declared it unfit on October 24 and asked the college authority to take steps for dismantling the structure. But, even then some students continued staying there as yet as they don't have any alternative, sources informed. Some have left their rooms.

The hostel superintendent Sukumar Das said the students in the past were repeatedly asked for clearing the hostel, but to no effect. However, they would soon leave the hostel.

Our correspondent from Bogura writes: Students of Khondaker Abul Kashem High School at Talora union under Dupchanchia upazila of the district are attending classes amid risk of accident as the school building is in a dilapidated condition for long.

Chairman of managing committee of the school Abul Hossain said, "We are bound to use the building for the shortage of classroom. We cannot build a new one for fund crisis."

Headmaster of the school Abdul High said, "Considering the sufferings of the students we have made a temporary tin-shed room nearby the south part of field of the school."

Late Khondaker Abul Hossain established the school on his own land in 1998 and it was listed as the Monthly Payment Order (MPO) in 2010.

After getting MPO listed, government has allotted Tk 2.2 million for making four concrete rooms for both office and class rooms. Among them one room is used as office room and another three rooms are being used as class rooms.

Due to irregularity and low construction materials, the building has been damaged within seven years of its construction. Plaster of wall and ceiling has been falling down frequently. Some cracks have developed in the floor also.

During a recent visit this correspondent saw students of different classes were attending annual examinations in the rooms of the dilapidated building.

Upazila education officer Motaher Hossain said, "We have urged the higher authority to allot adequate fund for renovation of the school bulding."

Member of Parliament Aljah Nurul Islam Talukder said, "We are trying to ensure construction of a new building of the school in the next fiscal year."

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