Though there are as many as 10 educational institutions at Boro Rauta Chilay, a remote area in Domar upazila of Nilphamari district, there is not a single martyrs’ monument or Shaheed Minar on the campuses of these schools. As a result, the students here have not seen a Shaheed Minar even once in their lives.

Chikonmati Number One Centenary Government Primary School is located is one such educational institution. When this correspondent visited this school recently, six Class V students—Shakil Islam, Emon Ali, Mou Akhtar, Rifat Islam, Akash Ray and Shamima Akhtar—rued that they have not seen a single Shaheed Minar yet.

A local resident told The Independent: “We want a Shaheed Minar to be constructed on the campus of this century-old school.”

The headmaster of this primary school, Md Sha Alom, who has been serving the school for more than five years, told this correspondent: “I have been trying in many ways to build a Shaheed Minar on the campus of my school for several years, but my efforts have been in vain.”

The president of this educational institution, Md Badsa Hossain, too, said: “I tried my best to convince the local UP chairman and UP members to construct a monument here, but I didn’t succeed.” Both the headmaster and the president of this school appealed to the authorities to sanction a substantial amount to build a monument here as soon as possible.

The other nine educational institutions are: Bororouta High School, Purbo Debiduba High School, Boro Routa Debirdanga Government Primary School, Betgara Ekramia Government Primary School, Bororauta Government Primary School, Dokhwin Bororauta Government Primary School, Chikonmati Dolapara Government Primary School, Dokhwin Chikonmati Korunamoyee Government Primary School and Chilai Darul-Ulum Islamia Koumi Madrasa.