HABIBUR RAHMAN, Pirojpur

The playground of BMM Uttar Gagan Government Primary School in Pirojpur’s Nesarabad upazila has remained occupied by construction materials for a nearby bridge project for around three years, leaving students without space to play.

The school, located on the banks of the Maluhar canal, has 66 students.

Locals said construction materials have been kept on the playground since work began on a bridge and connecting road adjacent to the school.

They also claimed that locals have occupied a large portion of the school’s 67 decimals of land, leaving little usable space for students.

Al Amin, a third-grader, said they cannot play because the field remains occupied.

Another student, Aysha Moni, said they have no opportunity for outdoor play as the playground has been taken over.

“We spend most of our free time inside the school building,” said Nafisa, another student.

Sadia Rawsan, the school’s acting head teacher, acknowledged that both the school building and the playground are in poor condition.

“We have informed the higher authorities,” she said.

Md Raisul Islam, upazila engineer of Nesarabad, said the authorities had not instructed the contractor to use the school field.

“The construction firm will be able to explain the matter,” he said.

Md Nuruzzaman Howlader, also known as Liton, a representative of the construction firm, admitted that using the school field was inappropriate.

“As the construction site is adjacent to the school and there is no open space to keep construction materials, we used the school field,” he said, adding that the playground would be cleared soon.