9 primary students allegedly confined in poultry farm warehouse in Bogura

In Sherpur, Bogura, allegations have emerged that nine students were called out from Mahipur Colony Government Primary School and confined for about eight hours. The victim students said some local youths took them to a warehouse of a poultry farm in the Noymile area of the neighbouring Shahjahanpur upazila. Later, guardians went and rescued them.

The incident took place on Monday, September 21. That night, the father of one of the victim students filed a written complaint with Sherpur Police Station. Five people were named in the complaint, with five others unnamed.

According to school sources, eight of the nine students were present at the assembly at 9:30am on Monday. When they were not found in the fourth-period class, their book bags were found in the classroom, but the students were not seen. After searching around the school and failing to find them, the guardians were informed around 3pm.

Schoolteacher Manjuara Parvin said it was not immediately known where the students had gone. Later, the guardians began searching for them.

Fifth-grade student Md Siam said a 17-year-old youth from the area called them out of school, promising to give them Tk 100. Later, they were taken to the west side of the village by easy-bike. There, two others joined the youth. Then they were taken to a warehouse of a poultry farm on the north side of Noymile Bazar in Shahjahanpur upazila and kept there with the shutter closed. Siam also said they were threatened with death if they tried to get out.

Fifth-grade students Abdul Hannan and Rifat Hasan, who were confined in the warehouse, said they two came out of the warehouse saying they were going to the toilet and came to Mahipur Bazar by a vehicle. There, they informed family members and local people about the matter. Later, the guardians went to the warehouse and rescued the other students. The guardians claimed those involved fled at that time.

In protest of the incident, at least 50 guardians went to the school on Tuesday morning and expressed their anger to the teachers. They alleged that the teachers did not notice how the students went outside during school hours. They demanded an investigation into the matter and action against those responsible.

Upazila Primary Education Officer Abdullah Al Mahmud said he learned about the matter around 10:45am on Tuesday. Later, he visited the school and spoke with the students. The matter has been reported to the District Primary Education Officer and the Upazila Executive Officer.

Sherpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) S M Moinuddin said the father of a student filed a written complaint at the police station around 8:30pm on Monday. In it, five people were named and five others were made unnamed accused. The five named are aged between 15 and 17. The matter is being investigated and legal action is being taken.