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Monipur High School

Students forced to pay 'Padma fees'

Staff Correspondent
Monipur School and College authorities in the capital were allegedly collecting money from its students in the name of Padma bridge project.
Even though there was no directive of the education ministry to collect money from students for the purpose of the bridge, the renowned school in the capital collected Tk 50 to Tk 1,000 from each student, alleged parents and ministry sources.
"The teacher asked Tk 100 from my child for the Padma bridge project," wishing anonymity said a guardian, whose son was in class-II of the main branch of the school.
Meanwhile, the government yesterday issued a show-cause notice upon the principal of the school asking him to explain within three working days as to why money was collected from students.
Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) issued the notice yesterday afternoon following education ministry's directive.
"As per the ministry's directive, we wanted to know the principal's explanation within three working days about why they collected the money without any prior permission of the government,” Prof Noman-ur-Rashid, director general of DSHE, told The Daily Star.
The ministry in a handout yesterday said stringent punishment would be handed down if any person or teacher or institution collects money from students in the name of Padma bridge project.
The principal of the school could not be reached despite several attempts.
On July 16, an activist of the Chhatra League, the pro-Awami League student body, had died in a gunfight between rival factions in Rajshahi University reportedly over fund collection for the bridge project.
The following after, the finance minister said those who were collecting money in the name of fund-raising for the bridge were extortionists. He even went on record to say, "They [the extortionists] should be beaten up."
While talking to The Daily Star recently, Kamal Ahmed Majumder, president of the Monipur school managing committee, had said he would urge guardians of students studying in all educational institutions in his constituency to donate as much as they could.
The guardians of the school, however, expressed dissatisfaction and said the school authority was collecting the money forcefully.
"We want the Padma bridge to be built but why should we give money when there is no such rule to collect money from students," said another guardian.
Expressing resentment, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said they have not asked anybody to collect money from students. "It was totally undesirable," he told The Daily Star.
Earlier, the school came into focus for charging high admission fees violating rules. A government probe committee found the school realised Tk 5.23 crore as extra fee during the admission of3,054 students.
The school failed to comply with the govern-