A student political leader in Pirojpur’s Nesarabad upazila has drawn intense scrutiny following allegations that he stole 30 packets of milk earmarked for primary school pupils, before returning most of the stock after the incident came to light.
The accused, Nadim Mahmud, serves as the joint general secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) unit at Government Swarupkati College. The theft took place at South Binna Kailantari Government Primary School (School No. 148) in Baldia Union, where 79 packets of milk intended for the government-backed school feeding programme were stored in the library.
The incident unfolded on Friday, 25 September, when local police and several political figures from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) visited the premises during a traditional dragon boat race (Nouka Baich) along the nearby Binna canal. Exploiting the situation while teaching staff were preoccupied with hosting and entertaining the visiting guests, Nadim and a group of associates allegedly slipped into the library and removed 30 packets of milk.
Mst Asha Begum, an assistant teacher at the primary school, explained that the missing stock went unnoticed until Wednesday, 30 September, when staff attempted to distribute the milk to students on the final day of the month. Upon discovering the shortage, inquiries revealed that Nadim and his companions had taken the packets and consumed part of the supply nearby.
Confronted by the public fallout, Nadim returned to the educational institution on Wednesday afternoon and handed over 27 replacement packets purchased from a local distributor. He claimed that he and his friends had taken the items without realising they were reserved for young pupils, admitting that the remaining three packets had already been consumed.
His explanation was echoed by Md Mohibullah, general secretary of the Binna Young Men’s Club, where Nadim serves as cultural secretary. While acknowledging the act was deeply inappropriate, Mohibullah maintained that the youth had acted out of ignorance regarding the purpose of the supplies.
The political leadership has swiftly distanced itself from the scandal. Md Imran Hossain Sojib, president of the Nesarabad Upazila Chhatra Dal, stated that the organisation does not indulge in unlawful acts and emphasized that the party would not bear responsibility for an individual’s personal misconduct.
Administrative consequences have also extended to the school’s management. Nesarabad Upazila Primary Education Officer Md Moinul Islam confirmed that a show-cause notice has been issued to the headmaster, Md Nurul Islam, for failing to inform the education office promptly after the breach occurred. The headmaster has been directed to submit a formal written response within three working days.
