Allegations of extortion from stipend students at Dublia High School in Pabna

The educators at Dublia High School in Pabna Sadar Upazila have been charged with unlawfully and consistently extorting funds from stipend students, contravening state regulations.

On Wednesday afternoon, November 19, the affected students lodged a formal complaint with the Pabna Sadar Upazila Executive Officer and the Education Officer.

As per the source of the complaint, approximately 400 students from grades 6 to 9 are recipients of government stipends. Despite the government covering the costs of salaries, allowances, stationery, and other expenses for all stipend recipients, teachers Abdul Haque and Shahidur Rahman Shahid are reportedly coercing each stipend student into paying illegal fees through receipts. This practice is against the law. They have been subjecting the students to mental harassment to facilitate this extortion, even causing them to miss school classes.

The teachers acknowledged that around 400 students receive stipends, with the government providing them with salaries, allowances, notebooks, and pens. However, none of these resources are distributed to the students. Instead, they are being coerced into paying money to the teachers. These actions are allegedly carried out in collusion with head teachers Anwar Hossain, Abdul Haque, and Shahidur Rahman. The educators also claimed that rather than distributing the funds to the students annually, they are misappropriating it for themselves. They called for legal action to be taken against the perpetrators following a thorough investigation.

Some students, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated, "We receive stipends from the government, which covers our educational expenses each year. The school has no right to demand money from us. Yet, Shahid Sir and Haque Sir are forcefully extracting funds from us. The involved teachers, including the head teacher, are misusing this money. There is no oversight in this matter. We are compelled to return the money."

Abdul Haque, a senior teacher at the implicated school, remarked, "We were unaware that it is against the rules to collect money from stipend students. Since the education office prohibited this practice, we have ceased collecting fees from them."‎

‎ Hafizur Rahman, the Secondary Education Officer of Pabna Sadar Upazila, stated, "There is no possibility of collecting salaries from stipend students. We have received formal complaints from the students. Those who collected the extorted amounts will be directed to return it. Should they fail to do so, additional measures will be implemented."