Hundreds of government primary school students in Kurigram are studying in what teachers and parents describe as “death trap” buildings. Two children died in separate falls from multi-storey school structures within the past seven months.
The safety concerns centre on two- and three-storey primary school buildings across the district which have open balconies and rooftop access but no protective grills, allowing children to move freely in potentially dangerous areas.
The latest tragedy occurred on 6 April, when an 11-year-old girl, Habiba Akter Hasi, a fifth-grade student at KD Wari Government Primary School in Ranigonj Union of Chilmari Upazila, fell from the second-floor balcony while playing during the lunch break.
She suffered severe head injuries and died on the way to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
Earlier, on 17 September 2025, a five-year-old child died after falling from the roof of Paschim Nageshwari Bottola Government Primary School in Nageshwari Upazila. Teachers said the child, who had visited the school for admission purposes, somehow reached the roof before falling.
The incidents have sparked widespread alarm among teachers, guardians and local residents, many of whom are now reluctant to send their children to school unless urgent safety measures are introduced.
According to local education officials, 306 government primary school buildings in Kurigram’s nine upazilas have been constructed to the same design. The buildings were implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), although LGED says the design was approved by the Directorate of Primary Education.
Parents and teachers argue that the buildings are fundamentally unsafe for children. While the balconies have low railings, they lack full-height protective grills. Many buildings also provide direct access from upper-floor corridors to adjoining roofs, making it easy for children to climb or wander onto rooftops.
Teachers say children often play unsupervised on balconies and rooftops before class and during tiffin breaks, increasing the risk of fatal accidents.
Habiba’s mother, Moriyom Begum, said, “If there had been grills on the balcony, my daughter would not have died like this. I do not want any other mother to lose her child. Safety grills must be installed in all schools.”
Another parent, Ranjina Begum, whose child studies at the same school, said she no longer feels confident sending her son to school.
“Children will play because they are young. But if they die while playing at school, how can we send them there?”
Teachers have echoed those concerns. Alimul Razi, acting head teacher of KD Wari Government Primary School, said the accident could have been prevented.
“If there had been grills on the balcony, this tragedy would not have happened. Many schools across the district have the same dangerous design.”
A visit to Kuti Payradanga Government Primary School in Nageshwari found students playing along upper-floor railings and moving freely onto rooftop areas during the lunch break. Although the lower floor had some grills installed through internal funding, upper floors remained exposed.
Head teacher Shahnaz Parvin described the building design as “completely unsafe” for children.
Kurigram District Primary Education Officer Swapan Kumar Ray Chowdhury acknowledged the flaws, saying the designs were not safe for children and had long been raised in official meetings. He added that some schools had been instructed to install grills through their own internal budgets where possible.
However, Yunus Hossain Biswas, executive engineer of Kurigram LGED, said the department merely implemented the project and had no authority to alter the approved design.
“The building design was approved by the Directorate of Primary Education. Any design changes fall under the ministry’s jurisdiction.”
With public pressure mounting after the two fatalities, parents and teachers are urging the government to immediately retrofit all vulnerable school buildings with protective grills and rooftop barriers before another child loses their life.
