School collapses 5 months into construction

10 May 2009, 18:00 PM

A Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

A room of Balapukur High School in Aditmari upazila collapsed on Saturday night, only five months after its construction. PHOTO: BANGLAR CHOKH

Five months into construction, a room of Balapukur High School in Aditmari upazila under the district collapsed on Saturday night. Jyotsna Rani, woman member of Saptibari Union Parishad under Aditmari upazila, conducted the construction work of the 12 feet by 15 feet room under supervision of the union parishad (UP) in December last year at a cost of Tk 65 thousand. School managing committee members and locals alleged that low quality materials were used for constructing the room as Jyotsna Rani in collusion with UP Chairman Ananto Roy and concerned ward member Yasin Ali Mollah misappropriated a large portion of the fund allocated for the purpose. No class was held in the newly constructed room as Saptibari Union Parishad did not hand it over to the school authority, acting headmaster Lakhsmi Kanto Roy said, adding that the higher authorities concerned have already been informed of the room collapse. When asked about the matter, Saptibari UP Chairman Ananto Roy and ward member Yasin Ali Mollah said they did not have any involvement with the construction work. Both of them said Jyotsna Rani bears the total responsibility for building collapse as she conducted the construction. Denying the allegations of misappropriating a portion of the fund for constructing the new room of Balapukur High School, Jyotsna Rani said the building collapsed on Saturday night as a tornado-like wind hit it. Locals, however, said nothing like tornado or storm occurred in the area that night although wind blew a bit strongly. Aditmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer AYM Zia Uddin Al Mamun, who visited the spot yesterday noon, told the journalists that legal steps will be taken against the responsible persons after inquiry within a short time.