‘Tobacco haat’ removed from Lalmonirhat school grounds after Daily Star report

The school grounds and Shaheed Minar altar at Lalmonirhat's Durakati Government Primary School are now tobacco 'haat' (market) free.

Following a report in The Daily Star on March 27, 2022, the concerned authorities quickly removed the tobacco haat from the premises of Durakati High School in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Our Lalmonirhat correspondent visited the school this morning and noticed that there was no tobacco haat on the school premises. Teachers, students, and parents are pleased that the tobacco haat has been removed.

Locals alleged that the tobacco haat used to open before dawn and close at 10am every day. On the school premises, people used to buy and sell tobacco. Buyers and sellers used to walk around the altar of Shaheed Minar with shoes on.

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‘Tobacco haat’ on Lalmonirhat school ground

Sahidar Rahman, a local man, told The Daily Star that he had been watching the tobacco market at Durakuti school ground for quite some time. Parents demanded that the tobacco haat on the school grounds be removed. When the news was published in The Daily Star, administration intervened and removed the tobacco haat.

Golam Nabi, Lalmonirhat District Primary Education Officer (DPEO), said that he acted quickly after the news was published.

"Legal action will be taken if a tobacco haat is set up on the school grounds again," he added.