Identify vulnerable pry school buildings: Ministry

Ministry of primary and mass education today asked the authorities concerned to identify the highly risky primary school buildings across the country within 15 days.

The ministry came up with the directive following the death of a nine-year-old girl as chunks of ceiling plaster fell on her in a classroom in Barguna's Taltali upazila on Saturday.

In a circular issued today, the ministry asked all district education officers to identify such risk prone buildings and inform the ministry within the stipulated time visiting the schools.

To identify the vulnerability, assistance from upazila engineers and local government can be sought, the circular said.

Meanwhile, the High Court yesterday issued a rule asking the respondents to explain within four weeks why they should not be directed to pay compensation to the families of Barguna school victims.

Third-grader Mansura, 9, daughter of Najir Hossain Hawlader, died and at least 10 of her classmates of Chhotobaghi PK Government Primary School in Taltali upazila were injured on Saturday as chunks of plaster from the ceiling fell on them.

In another development, Local Government and Rural Development Minister Md Tajul Islam yesterday directed its officials to identify risky primary school buildings and ensure stern punishment of those responsible for irregularities during construction of Chhotobaghi PK Government Primary School.

The primary and mass education ministry has also formed a two-member committee to probe the incident.

The probe committee members -- Directorate of Primary Education Director Saber Hossain and Deputy Secretary Mahbubur Rashid -- have been asked to submit the report within three working days.