School kids ‘forced to attend’ rally

Thousands of students of government schools in almost all upazilas of Sylhet were forced to join the Awami League rally held yesterday in the constituency of the education minister.Teachers were also compelled to attend the rally held at the MC Academy Model School and College ground in the district’s Golapganj upazila.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the programme as the chief guest.Most of the government schools in the district had been kept shut so that the students and teachers could attend the rally.The authorities concerned issued verbal directives to the headmasters, asking them to join the rally along with their students, sources at the district education office said.Besides, several schools at Golapganj upazila had been kept shut for the last six days to arrange accommodation of different law enforcement agencies ahead of the rally, sources told The Daily Star.School students guided by their teachers were seen standing at the rally venue defying scorching midday heat.Many were forced to take shelter in the shade of trees. But those who sat at the front of the gathering at the venue, had felt the heat most, witnesses said.The students, however, seemed pleased when Sheikh Hasina reached the venue. They waved their hands to greet the premier.“We have been forced to attend the rally,” said a student of Vekapul Muslimabad Ideal High School in Balaganj upazila, which is 20 km off the venue.Students of Jointapur Govt High School, which is more than 70 km away from the venue, were taken to the rally by bus.Contacted, District Primary Education Officer Hazrat Ali said: “I don’t know anything. The primary school students were not supposed to go to the rally.”Asked if he had gone to Golapganj to join the rally, the officer said he had gone to Golapganj but had not taken part in the rally.