Gopalganj Correspondent
Class was going on in the classroom. Meanwhile, the students were hit by a strong stench, which was exactly like the smell of pesticides. And 20 students fell ill. The school authorities immediately ordered a holiday due to the critical condition. The village doctor from the local market initially treated 10/12 students. In addition, 8 students have been admitted to a local hospital after falling ill. The incident took place at around 9:45 am on Wednesday (August 27) at Narkel Bari High School in Kotalipara Upazila of Gopalganj. Eight students who fell ill in the incident are being admitted to the 100-bed Kotalipara Health Complex and are receiving treatment. Teachers, students, and parents were terrified by this incident. The students admitted to the hospital are: Jhilik Baidya (14), daughter of Ripon Baidya of Narkel Bari village, and a student of class 8; Abdullah Khandaker (12), son of Rafiqul Islam, a student of class 6; Smriti ( 9), daughter of Suranjan Baidya of class 3; Jhuma Baidya (13), daughter of Abir Baidya of Badartala village, and a student of class 8; Rodela (14), daughter of Makhon Lal of Hazrabari village, and a student of class 8; Rianta Mir (16), daughter of Lutfar Mir of Bhuter Bari village, and a student of class 8; and Rita Halder (14), student of class 8. Supriya Khanam (12), a student in the 8th grade, said, “We were having a math class in the second period after the first period on the second floor of the new building.” 10 to 15 minutes after class started, a poisonous smell suddenly came through the window. It felt like we were suffocating. We all quickly went down from the second floor and went to the school grounds. In the meantime, some of us fell ill. Mary Derabati, the principal of Narkel Bari High School, said, “I was on duty in the building next door when I suddenly heard a commotion and ran over.” I saw everyone running around. Assistant Headmaster Dulal Madhu told me that there was a smell of pesticide in the classroom and everyone came out. An immediate search around the school to find the source of the smell was unsuccessful. Immediately, the school was declared a holiday. However, as some students felt unwell, they were sent to the Upazila Health Complex. Kotalipara Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Kumar Mridul Das said students come to the hospital with breathing problems. We have given them first aid and kept them under observation. You may get scared and fall ill in a bad situation, but there is no reason to be afraid