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44pc children in char lands go to school: Study

Extra benefits for teachers in remote areas from July: State minister

Staff Correspondent
About 50 percent of the population living in char (shoal) lands in north-western region of the country are illiterate and only 44 percent of children in these areas go to school, according to a study of Unnayan Shamannay, a research organisation.
Most students also do not attend classes regularly and the main reason behind this is that they do not get free textbooks, the study said.
The poor students even have to give bribes to receive their stipends, it added.
Unnayan Shamannay conducted the research in seven upazilas of Pabna, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts.
Chinmoy Mutsuddi, team leader of the research project
'Nodi O Jibon', presented the study findings at a roundtable on 'Safety net and education in char lands of northwest Bangladesh'.
Speaking at the roundtable, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Motahar Hossain said the government has taken a new scheme to increase the salary and other allowances for primary schoolteachers in haor and Chittagong HillTYacts areas.
"The government has taken an initiative to offer extra financial benefits to the teachers in char, haor and ,CHT areas as they face tremendous difficulties in reach-ingschools," he said.
"This additional benefits will be implemented in July," he added.
The teachers of these remote areas often have to
walk miles or use bicycle to reach workplaces, he said.
Unnayan Shamannay and Concern Worldwide organised the event at the Bangladesh Institute of Administrative Management (BLAM) auditorium in the city.
Chinmoy Mutsuddi said 86 percent of char dwellers are living below poverty line. Hundred percent of families in char lands in Nilphamari, 85 percent in Lalmonirhat and 70 percent in Pabna cannot afford education expenses for their children.
The study also found that schoolteachers in these areas do not stay in char lands. Rather, they come from the mainland.
Dr Alauddin Ahmed, adviser to the prime minister, and lawmaker Asaduzzaman Noor also spoke.