Human chain by students demanding the protection of the school in Sadarpur, Faridpur.

Biplab Kumar Das, Staff Reporter: Hundreds of students have formed a human chain to protect 'Adarsha Janasangha High School' from the continuous erosion of the Padma River in the Akterchar Union of Sadarpur Upazila, Faridpur. This programme was held on Thursday (10 September) in the Shoytankhali ghat area of the upazila. For a long time, many houses, shops, and hundreds of bighas of agricultural land in the area have been swallowed by the river due to severe erosion. The school, located just 300 meters from the river, is currently in serious danger. During the human chain, students expressed their anger, stating that the level of erosion has intensified due to illegal sand extraction. They demanded an immediate halt to illegal sand extraction and the construction of a permanent dam to protect the school. The headmaster of the school, Ayub Ali Shikdar, mentioned that although some temporary measures like dumping geo-bags had been taken earlier, they have not brought any permanent solution. Currently, there is intense fear among the students. Nasir Uddin Sardar, chairman of the Diara Narkelbaria Union Parishad, said that not only temporary measures but also a quick construction of a sustainable dam is necessary to protect the Piyajkhali market and Adarsha Janasangha School; otherwise, there is a risk of losing educational institutions and settlements from the map of the area. Parents have also urgently called for effective government intervention so that their children's educational lives do not fall into uncertainty.