A canteen has been opened at Ghagra Abdul Gani High School in Mithamoin upazila of Kishoreganj to ease the difficulties of students who travel long distances from remote haor areas and often attend classes without food.
Alongside the initiative, a tree-planting programme has been launched to develop a greener and more environment-friendly campus. An parents' gathering and exchange of views meeting were also organised on the occasion.
Mithamoin Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Saiful Islam inaugurated the canteen by cutting a ribbon on the school premises at 2:00pm on Monday. Later, guests inaugurated the 2026 tree-planting campaign by planting saplings of different fruit-bearing and timber trees on the campus.
Speaking at the inauguration, the UNO said many students from remote parts of the haor region had to attend classes throughout the day without eating because going to nearby markets for food wasted valuable study time.
Considering these difficulties, the initiative was taken to establish canteens within educational institutions, he said.
He added that Mithamoin has 22 secondary schools and madrasas, and canteens had already been introduced at five institutions through his initiative. Plans are underway to gradually introduce the facility at the remaining institutions.
He said he had personally provided Tk 10,000 in financial assistance for each canteen. Nutritious meals, including rice, vegetables, lentils and eggs, would be served according to a schedule. The canteens would be run with financial support from teachers, students and local residents.
Later, an parents' gathering and exchange of views meeting was held in the school auditorium, chaired by the school's managing committee president, Advocate Md Kausarul Alam Bhuiyan. The UNO was the main speaker.
Among others, Upazila Academic Supervisor Md Mizanur Rahman, freedom fighter Ibrahim Mia, former school managing committee presidents Shamsuzzaman Bhuiyan Ritu and Omar Faruk Bhuiyan, Upazila Jubo Dal President Advocate Ershadul Haque, Upazila Olama Dal President Saiful Islam, Union BNP General Secretary Ayub Ali, guardian member Md Dhan Mia and acting headteacher Ajit Chandra Biswas addressed the meeting.
On behalf of the students, Class X student Bashir Ahmed and Class IX student Arpita Sutradhar also spoke. Assistant teacher Sohrab Alam conducted the programme.
In his presidential address, Advocate Md Kausarul Alam Bhuiyan stressed the need for collective efforts by teachers, guardians and local residents to improve the school's learning environment, expand facilities for students and ensure quality education.
Speakers said nutritious food, a clean environment and quality education were essential for the physical and mental development of students. They called for coordinated efforts to improve infrastructure, ensure regular attendance and enhance the quality of education.
They also emphasised the importance of tree plantation in making the school campus greener and more environmentally sustainable.
After the programme, the guests visited the canteen and exchanged greetings with students.
