SATKHIRA, Sept.8: Assassunl. one of the most neglected upazllas of Satkhira district with an area of 4)0 square kilometres (KM) Is be set with manifold problems, the major problems are: lack of educational facilities, underdeveloped communication system. scarcity of pure drinking water, etc

In Assassunl. there are 254 villages In 1 I unions of the upazila with a population of about 2.35,000 . No step has been taken as yet to Improve educational facilities in 44 years Only one degree college. 29 high schools, nine Junior high schools, one girls high school. 65 madrashas includ Ing two senior madrashas. 140 government and non-govern mCht primary schools are now -functioning in these villages.

The communication network of the upazila is the most neglected one. The condition of the existing 35 miles pucca and about 200 miles kutcha roads is very deplorable. Numerous holes and cracks have developed at different points causing immense sufferings to the road users

The people of this ne-giected areas hope that the concerned authority will construct new roads to Improve the communication system of the rural areas.

Scarcity of drinking water is the moot acute problem of the people. About 60 percent of the existing tubewells have been lying out of order for a long time. As a result the people have been using polluted water of canals, ponds and ditches. Mosquito menace Is another problem of the upazllas. Water hyacinth, stagnant water filled with garbage are the breeding centres of mosquitoes.

Frequent power failure Is also another serious problem for the Inhabitants of the upazila headquarters. Dwellers say that most of the town areas plunge Into darkness often Just after sun set. Moreover street lights are also absent. As a result anti-social activities have been Increased much.

The upazila health complex la the most neglected one at Assassunl. It can hardly pro vldc medicare facilities to the people of the area. Acute shortage of medicines force thousands of patients, partlcu larly the poor people to return disappointed without treatment. It is alleged

Besides, absence of X-ray machine at the health complex has been depriving the poor patients to get their X-rays done in time of necessity. Ambulance Is not available due to which people of the locality face untold sufferings in case of emergency

Suicide

Five persons committed suicide within three days in Satkhira sadar upazila. Four of them took poison and one housewife hanged herself.

It Is reported that Abdul Jabbar (17), son of llazrat Alt of village Laxlmldari, Asia Khatoon (48) of Shlbnagar. Balaram, Karmakar (68) of Dhullhar and Laxhml Rani Das (12) . Daughter of Dukhlram Das of Babuiia — all under sadar upazila committed suicide by consuming poison while housewife Aklima Khatoon (34) , wife of Azizul Haq of Raipur under sadar upazila committed suicide by hanging herself on a branch of a tree near her rest dcnce. Family troubles were the cause of their suicide, it Is learnt. Separate cases were lodged with the Satkhira po lice station tn connection with the Incidents.

Two persons including baby died of diarrhoea and several others were attacked with the disease in Satkhira sadar upazila recently

It Is reported that one Atu Gazi (50) and a two and a half year old boy of village Ratpur under sadar upazila dlied of diarrhoea and several other vil lagers were attacked with the disease.