Resources underutilised for lack of govt attention

The administrative building of Gaibandha Agriculture Training Institute. PHOTO: STAR

Lack of teachers, shortage of facilities for academic studies and training and accommodation problem for students are the main obstacles. Its vast campus and physical infrastructure can not be usitilised properly only due to lack of attention by the government to solve the problems.

Repeated appeals to the authorities concerned to solve the problems could make little change over the years, ATI authorities told this correspondent.

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The institute was set up on 86 acres of land in 1954 on the southern outskirts of Gaibandha town. The institute has about 600 students from Bogra, Joypurhat, Naoaon, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibahdha.

At least 15 posts of teachers are vacant for long.

Students face acute accommodation problem. There are only two hostels, one for male students having 190 seats and the other for females with 60 seats. Campus sources said 7 to 8 students stay in each four-seated room in the hostels.

Though unbelievable, there is no dinning arrangement and water supply system in the hostels. The hostel compounds wear an eerie look at night in absence of lights. Once fused, lights are rarely replaced, many students complained while talking tot this correspondent during a recent visit.

At classrooms, benches and tables are inadequate to the need. Many of the students are to take lesson standing, they alleged. Toilets both at hostels and at the academic building are not cleaned regularly.

Despite its vast campus, students do not have any playground.

No election of student's union in this institute was held during last decade and none took initiative for holding election despite repeated appeals from students.

There are 45 acres of agriculture lands under the institute, which are not properly utilised only due to lack of planning, manpower and logistics. These lands, along with the six ponds in the compound are virtually unutilised, they said.

As there is no boundary wall, miscreants move on the campus freely. Pilferage and snatching are regular events on the campus. Students even become victims of local toll collectors.

There is no medicare service for students. The institute has no transport.

When contacted, its principal Aminul Huq said lack of teachers and funds are the main obstacles in development of the institute. He admitted that the ATI could be turned into a good institution to produce a large number of well trained people who can play a great role in development of the country's agriculture and fishery. But that needs allocation of funds and appropriate planning.

He said plans and requirements were sent to the authorities concerned much earlier, but to no effect.

He said the ponds and agriculture lands are being cultivated as per instruction of higher authorities and one third of the sale proceeds are deposited to the government.