Special Correspondent:

Tension and controversy have emerged over the formation of the ad-hoc committee of Chitalmari Hasina Begum Secondary Girls’ School in Bagerhat’s Chitalmari upazila. Allegations of political influence, intimidation, irregularities in CV selection, and manipulation in the committee formation process have sparked widespread discussion in the area.

Engineer M. M. Nazrul Islam, a lifetime donor member and former president of the school’s ad-hoc committee, submitted a written complaint alleging that a vested group is trying to exclude him from the committee process.

In his complaint, Nazrul Islam stated that his mother, Hasina Begum, founded the school, while his father was the founding president and land donor. He claimed that his family has played a vital role in the institution’s establishment, development, and reputation over the years.

According to him, after the government instructed the reformation of the ad-hoc committee, he applied for the position of president. However, he alleged that Fazlul Haque, his wife Runa Gazi, and nephew Abed Sheikh pressured the head teacher to exclude his name and recommend only their preferred candidates.

Speaking to this correspondent in his office yesterday, Head Teacher Shoilendra Nath Baroi said that out of eight submitted CVs, he was instructed to keep only one.

“I was told to keep only one CV, and that was Fazlul Haque’s CV. I kept only that one. Later, they themselves decided who else would remain with him,” he claimed.

The head teacher further alleged that around 30 to 35 BNP activists from the upazila came to his office and intimidated him. Later, eight individuals currently involved in BNP politics in Chitalmari — whose names are being withheld for security reasons — allegedly told him,

“The Mallik family is a fascist family; no one from that family can remain connected to the school.”

When asked whether complainant Engineer Nazrul Islam had any links with Awami League politics, the head teacher replied,

“I do not know about that.”

At one stage of the discussion, the head teacher also claimed that the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), referring to the Deputy Commissioner’s verbal instruction, told him to avoid making the committee family-centered and to submit balanced CVs. However, he said he could not do so because several applicants later withdrew their applications.

Meanwhile, one individual who withdrew his candidacy alleged anonymously that he withdrew his application on Tuesday, May 12, around 3:30 PM, but before that withdrawal, the head teacher had already submitted three CVs to the UNO.

“He either manipulated the process or is not telling the truth,” the source alleged.

On the other hand, Engineer Nazrul Islam denied having any connection with Awami League politics and identified himself as an active BNP worker.

“I have never been involved with Awami League politics. I am an active BNP activist. During the February 2026 parliamentary election, I worked in the election management sub-committee for current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka-17 constituency. I have supporting documents,” he said.

He further added,

“This school is named after my mother, and my father was its founder and land donor. A vested group is trying to take control of the institution for personal benefit.”

When contacted, Chitalmari UNO Khadiza Akter said the head teacher had visited her office.

“I asked him to inform me if anyone from outside was pressuring or threatening him, and I assured him necessary action would be taken. But he told me there was no outside pressure,” she said.

The UNO also stated that she had informed the head teacher about the Deputy Commissioner’s verbal instructions and merely forwarded the submitted CVs to the DC office.

The conflicting statements and allegations surrounding the committee formation have triggered intense debate across the area, with many locals demanding a fair and neutral investigation.