Allegedly on the premises of a number of educational institutions, including the Ocean High School ground in Cumilla's Brahmanpara Upazila Sadar, cattle markets have been set up marking the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said in a recent notification issued by the Ministry of Education that no cattle or cattle stalls will be allowed to sit on grounds of any educational institution this year. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader also stressed on the instruction.
However, the instruction is not being obeyed in Brahmanpara upazila of Cumilla. In the area cattle hat has been set up on various educational institute ignoring the government instructions.
A cattle market is being set up on Sahebabad’s Ocean High School ground of the upazila for the last few years. This temporary cattle market was leased by the upazila administration for Tk 66 lakh last year. There sits two weekly markets there on Thursdays and Sundays.
In the year 2020, a local businessman named Jaher Mia was the lessee of this market whereas, this year, Haji Md Dulal Hossain Sarkar, a businessman from Sahebadabad area, leased the market for Tk 91 lakh. Dulal Hossain confirmed the news when asked.
Similarly, Shidlai Government Primary School and Ashadnagar College ground of the upazila have been leased for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha cattle sale. As a result of setting up of cattle stalls in all these places, the field of rain water has become monotonous with the cow waste of the educational institutions and the image of the field has changed. At the same time, the stench is destroying the environment. Besides, the field has become muddy due to foot pressure of people and cows.
A local school teacher, who did not want to be named, said that Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fauzia Siddique, in her own power, gave permission to run cattle markets in the fields of educational institutions in different places. But I have heard that the Minister of Education has banned the operation of animal markets in the fields of educational institutions.
Note that in the field of this educational institution, apart from Eid, there is a market throughout the year. The Brahmanpara Upazila Nirbahi Officer did not receive a mobile phone when asked about the cattle market at the educational institution.
Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Md Kamrul Hasan said, “I will take necessary action knowingly.”
Meanwhile, MP from Cumilla-5 (Burichang-Brahmanpara) constituency Adv Abul Hashem Khan said,
“It is wrong to set up a cattle market on the field of an educational institution. However, I will take necessary action after knowing why the upazila administration gave the permission for this.”