A primary school student in Barisal narrowly escaped severe injury after discovering a sharp razor blade baked inside a loaf of bread distributed as part of a government school meal programme. The disturbing discovery took place on Wednesday, 22 July, at Harisena Government Primary School in Gournadi Municipality, sparking widespread alarm and anger among parents and locals.
The incident unfolded during the daily tiffin break when Alamtaj, a Class 1 pupil at the institution, opened her packaged bread. As the young girl tore the loaf apart to eat, she spotted a metallic razor blade embedded directly within the dough. Fortunately, the child noticed the sharp object before taking a bite, avoiding what could have been a catastrophic physical injury.
Recognising the immediate danger, the student alerted her classroom teacher, who promptly notified the acting headmistress, Saifun Nahar. Speaking on Thursday morning, Alamtaj confirmed the terrifying moment she found the blade inside her food, while senior teacher Saifun Nahar verified the sequence of events. The school administration confirmed that the matter was immediately escalated to the Upazila Primary Education Officer, Md Nurul Islam Mridha, for formal investigation.
The government-sponsored meal distribution at the school is contracted to a private vendor, Island Trading Corporation. Efforts to reach Arif Hossain, a representative for the supplier, proved unsuccessful as his official telephone line remained switched off throughout Thursday.
The alarming lapse in food quality control triggered swift administrative movement. Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) and Municipal Administrator Md Ibrahim inspected the primary school premises on Thursday morning to review safety protocols. Confirming the visit, he assured the public that authorities are treating the negligence with utmost seriousness and that a thorough investigation will be conducted to hold the responsible suppliers accountable under law.
