SM Humayun Kabir, Cox’s Bazar

Dakbhanga village is a remote township surrounded by Ramur hills and Bankkhali river in Cox’s Bazar district. Dakbhanga Private Primary School was established in 1998 by the volunteers of the local people to spread the light of education in this remote village surrounded by rivers. The school is being managed by the local people’s own funding.
Dakbhanga NGO’s Project Coordinator Officer Jewel Talukder has been involved in various irregularities and corruption since taking charge of the school. In recent times, the local public has been outraged by the cutting down of 54 shade trees of the school without regard to any rules.
Students, parents and local residents staged a protest march and human chain on the road to the main gate of the school on Friday.
According to eyewitnesses and local sources, 20 mahogany trees were cut in five days from Tuesday (March 12) to Saturday.
Abul Kalam, the head teacher of the school said, I joined this school two months ago. I learned that in the management committee meeting held before joining, it was decided to cut 30 trees.
When asked about this, the project coordinator of ‘Dakbhanga Bangladesh’, Jewel Talukdar said, “I have no decision of my own here. According to the decision of the committee, money has been withdrawn from the bank. The money from the sale of trees has been deposited in the school office account.”