The New Nation - Internet Edition

Saidur Rahman

Resource Study and Management Center (RSMC), a community based organization, observed Amar Ekushey (Mother Language Day) at Kathulia of Alampur Union under Kushtia district with due fervor and festivity. The day's activities started with placing wreaths at 12:01 am of 21 February at the Martyr Monument erected on the campus of Bodhon, a community library of RSMC located in the village of Kathulia. In the morning different sections of people including the student groups, the village leaders, farmers, day laborers, and the invited guests placed wreaths/flowers at the monument.

The cultural and sports events started with a race of the under-six children of RSMC run Bodhon Pre-primary School. The other events/competitions of the morning included cockfight, rhyme recitation for kids, biscuit race for kids, stitch and thread to adolescent girls, pillow transfer for elderly women, high jump, long jump, and dress-as-you-like. The most enjoyable part of morning events was hari vanga (pot breaking) in which the age-old honorable people of the surrounding villages took part. The day's special charm was traditional lathikhela (baton fight), which was organized in the village after long 10 years. [RSMC seeks to revive the old fashions of the society - the folk culture and sports events to bring back the occasions of amusement, the social bondage, and fraternity in the village life.]

The evening was decorated with a colorful dais for performance of 'Ekush Amar Pran', a drama produced by the RSMC Cultural Group.

Shimulia-Kathulia Community Primary School, the only primary school in these 2 villages, was established in 1993 with 2 classes - Class I, and Class II. Thanks to the initial interest and care of the community leaders and some youth to improve primary education in the locality, another 2 classes - Class III, and Class IV was added to the school after 2 years. The situation changed when the influential families and individuals wanted to established their leadership regarding school management, teacher recruitment, fund utilization, yearly school development projects etc. The latter 2 classes were cut off only 2 years after opening. Only one teacher is now engaged. The 2-hour school hardly remains opened on the weekdays. The community people don't send their children to this school; rather they send their children to BRAC run school or kindergarten schools.

RSMC has initiated awareness campaign and community mobilization to make the people re-think about the well-being and future of their children, usefulness of the govt. primary school, the way they can re-structure and improve the school management system. Some informal group meetings have already been held. Voices are now being stronger around school restructuring. The concerned govt. department will be negotiated soon. We seek cooperation and assistance from all concerned.