Schoolchildren and local residents in Narail Sadar upazila are facing health risks due to the storage of construction materials on the playground of a secondary school.
The headmaster of Agdia Secondary School and the school management committee are accused of permitting the contractor to store construction materials for the Agdia Chowrasta to Sheikhhati Road repair project.
The situation has led to significant damage to the field and halted recreational activities for children and teenagers, including students, for nearly 20 days.
Additionally, residents have expressed concerns about dust pollution caused by construction activities and the burning of materials for bitumen production.
Biplob Biswas of Kaliabaria, the contractor responsible for the Sheikhhati road project, has stored various construction materials, including large piles of stones and sand, on the east side of the playground, extending from the Agdia intersection.
Stones are scattered across a significant portion of the field, with heavy machinery and stone-laden trucks traversing the area. Additionally, noisy plant machines have been installed near the goalpost on the east side, while a pitch-melting stove has been set up on the south side which emits dust and poses health risks to nearby residents and schoolchildren.
Ashish Kumar Biswas, chairman of Kolora Union Parishad, criticized the decision to use the playground for construction material storage. He pointed out that funds were previously allocated for the renovation of the very field now occupied by construction materials.
The contractor declined to comment on the matter.
When questioned, the school's headmaster said he had no idea of how the contractor is using the school field.
However, Abbas Ali Sardar, president of the School Management Committee, defended the incident, saying ‘it was for the development of the area.’
Upazila Secondary Education Officer Sultan Mahmud said he wasn’t aware of the situation. If the school administration rented the playground, they would be solely responsible for its consequences, he said.