Education official show-caused over blade found in school tiffin bread

A four-member investigation committee has been formed following the discovery of a sharp blade in government-provided tiffin bread at Harisena Government Primary School in Gauranadi municipality, Barishal.

Gauranadi Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) and municipality administrator Md Ibrahim formed the committee after visiting the school on Thursday (July 23) afternoon.

In this regard, Shah Alam Khan, project director of the bread supplier Island Trading Corporation, said the bread is supplied to schools by a company called Koko Kola Manufacturing. The bread is produced through a fully automatic process, meaning any metal object would be ground to powder during the mixing stage. Therefore, the presence of a whole blade in the bread is unusual. However, only officials from the relevant company's metal detection department can provide a detailed explanation.

Upazila Executive Officer Md Ibrahim said he visited the school after learning of the incident and seized the bread containing the blade. A four-member investigation committee headed by the Upazila Agriculture Officer has been formed. The committee has been directed to submit an investigation report within five working days. Necessary action will be taken after receiving the report.

He also said a show-cause notice has been issued to Upazila Primary Education Officer Md Nurul Islam Mridha for failing to inform the UNO about the matter despite being aware of it.

Notably, around 10:30am on Wednesday, a first-grade student named Alamtaj discovered a sharp blade inside the government-provided tiffin bread while eating it. The student immediately informed the class teacher, Sharmin Jahan. Since the blade was spotted before consumption, the student was unharmed.

Senior teacher Saifun Nahar said the matter was immediately reported to Upazila Primary Education Officer Md Nurul Islam Mridha.