Government seeks damage reports from schools after earthquake

The government has asked for detailed reports on the damage to educational institutions following the recent earthquakes.

The Education Engineering Department (EED) has requested information from high schools, colleges, madrasas and technical institutions that were affected. The Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) has separately sought reports on government primary schools.

On Sunday, the EED sent letters to its district-level offices, asking for information on institutions under the Secondary and Higher Education Division, as well as those under the Technical and Madrasah Education Division.

The letter, signed by Chief Engineer Tarek Anwar Jahedi, instructed executive engineers to submit reports by Monday, including details and multiple photographs of the damaged institutions.

The DPE also wrote to divisional deputy directors on Sunday, asking for information on government primary schools damaged in the earthquake.

The directorate noted that reports in electronic and print media indicate that educational institutions in different districts were affected.

The letter, signed by Mirajul Islam Ukil, director of the Planning and Development Wing, asked for submissions by Nov 27.

A series of four earthquakes on Friday and Saturday sparked widespread public concern. While some schools and colleges suspended classes on Sunday, they reopened on Monday.

Dhaka University and Jagannath University, however, have suspended classes and instructed students to vacate the halls. Dhaka Polytechnic Institute has also halted classes and exams, asking residential students to leave their accommodation.