Despite being housed in a modern two-storey building surrounded by lush greenery, the pupils of Fazlul Haq Government Primary School in Dhanbari Upazila, Tangail are facing extreme hardship due to the absence of a connecting road, a crisis that is driving children away and threatening the institution’s future.
Located in Bajitpur village under Birtara union, the school was established in 2004 and nationalised in 2013. While the school is equipped with internal modern facilities, the lack of an access path for its 83 students and four teachers has become a significant barrier to education.
Although the main road sits just 15 to 20 yards away, there is no direct link to the school grounds. During the dry season, students must navigate narrow field ridges and private thickets. The situation turns dire during the monsoon, when the trek becomes hazardous and students are often forced to wade through water.
Local resident Ripon noted that children frequently face scolding when attempting to take shortcuts through private yards. “Students and teachers must often cross through water, leading to many falling and soaking their books and uniforms,” he added.
The lack of infrastructure is having a devastating impact on the school’s academic environment. Headmaster Md Hyder Ali reported that while attendance is nearly 100 per cent during the dry season, it plummets to between 30 and 40 per cent during the monsoon.
Fearing for their children’s safety, many parents have stopped sending them to classes or have moved them to other schools.
Aminul Haque, president of the school management committee, said the absence of a road is actively causing students to drop out and called for a permanent solution to restore the educational environment.
Runa, a Class V student, shared the daily struggle of entering the school through other people’s property and appealed to upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and education officials to construct a proper road.
When questioned on the matter, Dhanbari Upazila Primary Education Officer Md Farhad Hossain said he would take the necessary initiatives to solve the crisis as soon as a written application is submitted by the headmaster.
