Education waterlogged in Chittagong city

Academic activities at different educational institutions in low-lying areas of Chittagong city are being hampered due to waterlogging, which was triggered by downpour and tidal water between Monday night and yesterday.

The authorities have suspended the activities as water entered many of the institutions and students could not attend the classes by travelling through waterlogged roads, said teachers and locals.

The low-lying areas include Agrabad, Halishahar, Bakalia, Kapasgola, Charchaktai and Lamar Bazar.

While visiting Agrabad, Halishahar and Kapashgola areas, The Daily Star found that academic activities remained suspended at Agrabad Girls' High School, Bangladesh Bank Colony High School, Agrabad Government Colony High School, Sulatn Al-Nahian Government Primary School, Kapashgola City Corporation Mohila College, and Silver Bells Kindergarten and Silver Bells Girls' High School.

Salma Akter, headmistress of Agrabad Girls High School, said due to waterlogging academic activities are being hampered greatly in the institution where about 2,000 students study.

Students received only 20 percent of schooling due to waterlogging since July 25 this year, she said. 

Echoing Salma, Mahmuda Huq, headmistress of Silver Bells Kindergarten and Girls High School, said during this monsoon they had to suspend classes for at least eight days.

While it rains during high tide, water comes down the school campus as well as the classrooms, she added.

Nasir Uddin, headmaster of Bangladesh Bank Colony High School, said academic activities were being hindered for around 12 days.

“Most of the time, my son cannot go to school due to waterlogging during the monsoon,” said Shafiqul Islam Selim, father of first-grader Farhan Chowdhury.

Moreover, classes do not take place on time, he added.

Jalal Sheikh, father of Siam Sheikh, a class VI student of the school, echoed Selim.

Lutfunnesa, mother of Alisha Siddique Ayesha, a class I student of Sulatn Al-Nahiyan Government Primary School, also made similar statement.

Locals and teachers alleged that due to a lack of proper drainage system and initiatives to clear drains and canals stuffed with garbage, water cannot recede quickly, leading to such waterlogging.

Inundated campuses of Silver Bells Kindergarten and Silver Bells Girls High School. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

Md Mahbubur Rahman, president of Sulatn Al-Nahiyan Government Primary School's management committee, said earlier classes could be held in the Bangla month of Bhadra. But this year it is not possible, he added.

Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Panel Mayor Chowdhury Hasan Mahmud Hasni told The Daily Star that the newly elected CCC council has planned to set up 12 sluice gates with pumps in different areas to protect the city from tidal water and to pump out rainwater quickly.

“We will start our work immediately,” he added.

Kapasgola City Corporation Women's College. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das