Classes disrupted at Kapasia school amid prolonged dispute between chairman and teachers

Published : Saturday, 22 August, 2026 at 5:50 PM

Observer Correspondent

File Photo

Classes at Singhshree Union High School in Kapasia, Gazipur, have reportedly been disrupted amid a prolonged dispute between the school's managing committee chairman and a section of teachers, with the conflict allegedly continuing for more than a decade.

The dispute has also raised concerns over the school's academic performance and enrolment. The school, once regarded as one of the leading educational institutions in the area, saw only 28 of its 69 SSC candidates pass in 2026, while 41 failed, according to information provided in complaints submitted to the authorities. The number of students has also reportedly declined from around 1,000-1,200 in the past to approximately 300-350 at present.

Established in 1946 near the Singhshree Union Parishad office and Singhshree Bazar, the school is around 80 years old and has served as an SSC examination centre for many years. Local residents said students from the institution had previously achieved strong results at the upazila level, but its academic performance has deteriorated in recent years.

On June 15, a written complaint signed by 21 people was submitted to the chairman of the Dhaka Education Board, according to the report. The complainants alleged that Md Lokman Hossain, a former student of the school and an officer of the 24th Bangladesh Civil Service education cadre, had served as chairman of the school's managing committee for four terms between 2013 and November 15, 2025.

The complainants further alleged that Hossain used his influence to form managing committees dominated by people loyal to him and that teachers who did not comply with his wishes were subjected to harassment. They claimed that seven teachers, including the recently retired headteacher and the assistant headteacher, have been unable to enter the school.

A teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that a group of local people, allegedly acting in support of the former chairman, had filed what the teacher described as false and baseless cases and complaints against teachers who did not support him.

The report also contains allegations concerning several teachers. Former headteacher Md Mohsin reportedly joined the school in 2004 and retired on September 29, 2023, but, according to the allegations, remained deprived of government salary-related, retirement and welfare benefits.

Assistant headteacher Md Shafiqul Islam joined the school on March 21, 2013. According to the allegations, he was removed from the institution after a case was filed against him in 2017. After being cleared of the allegations, he rejoined the school in 2022, but was allegedly forced out again in 2023 after Hossain became chairman. He has reportedly been unable to rejoin the school since then.

Assistant teacher (Bangla) Md Mofizul Haque Moral, who joined the school in 1990, was allegedly removed from the institution following a case in 2017. The report claims he remained without salary for four years and died in 2021. Assistant teacher (Accounting) Abu Bakar Siddique and part-time English teacher Enayet Kabir were also allegedly removed in 2018. Assistant teacher (ICT) Rahima Khanam and assistant librarian Momtaz Begum have reportedly been working without salary for an extended period, according to the allegations.

The complainants have also raised allegations of financial irregularities against the former chairman. They alleged that in 2015, when Hossain was elected chairman, a fake receipt showing Tk 45,000 as a security deposit and allegedly false vouchers for related expenditure were submitted and approved during the process of purchasing nomination forms for different categories of managing committee members.

They further alleged that although the regular managing committee's tenure ended on November 15, 2025, Tk 78,000 and Tk 150,000 were withdrawn from the school's bank account on November 17 and 19 respectively, allegedly through the joint signatures of Hossain and the acting headteacher. The complainants also alleged that vouchers dated prior to the withdrawals were subsequently used to account for the expenditure.

According to the complaints, no internal audit committee was formed during Hossain's different terms as chairman and financial transactions were conducted under his control. Teachers, committee members and local residents have reportedly submitted complaints to various authorities over the alleged irregularities, but the complainants claimed that no effective action was taken because of Hossain's influence.

The report also alleges that Hossain appointed his former schoolmate, Kudrat-E-Khoda, as an office assistant and that financial irregularities subsequently occurred at the institution.

Attempts were made to contact Md Lokman Hossain for his response to the allegations. He was called on his mobile phone but did not answer. The allegations in the complaints could not be independently verified. Further comments from the relevant education authorities would be required to establish the status of the complaints and the allegations concerning the school's administration and finances.

-NAS/HIS