A cattle market has been set up illegally on the ground of Bhabaniganj Multipurpose High School in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila. The school's head teacher has admitted giving permission for it. But the Sadar upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) says a head teacher cannot in any way allow a market on a school ground.

Sellers began bringing cattle to the school ground from the morning of Wednesday (6 July), and by the afternoon the market was busy with buyers and sellers.

On the spot, bamboo poles had been put up on the north, south and west sides of the ground and cattle tied to them. Cattle were also tied on the school veranda and at the Shaheed Minar on the west side of the ground. The wheels of pickup vans carrying cattle had left holes in the ground, which were later filled with sand.

Asked about it, head teacher Foyez Shikder said: "I gave permission for the cattle market on the ground. The market sits one day a year; I can't oppose it."

Nasir Uddin Raju, president of the school managing committee, said there was no open ground near the bazar other than the school ground, but that he knew nothing about the cattle market being set up there.

Market lessee Azad Hossain said he had leased the ground for the cattle market for about Tk 4 lakh and spent about Tk 5 lakh in all. Written permission to hold the market on the ground had been obtained from the school authorities, he said.

Lakshmipur Sadar UNO Imran Hossain said the lease had been given for a cattle market on the Bhabaniganj open ground. "A cattle market cannot be held on the school ground under any circumstances. I have already asked the UP chairman and the secondary education officer to take action. The head teacher has no authority to allow a cattle market," he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.