Eighteen students have fallen ill after consuming food provided under a school feeding programme at a government primary school in Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila. Of them, ten were admitted to Chapainawabganj 250-bed District Hospital for medical treatment.
According to school and hospital authorities, the incident occurred at Salim Dolpara Government Primary School in Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila. The affected students became unwell after consuming eggs and bread distributed during the midday school feeding programme.
The food was served at midday, and the students began showing symptoms within a short time afterwards. Between Wednesday afternoon and 8:00 pm, the affected children were taken to hospital in phases. Initially, several of them received primary treatment locally, but as the condition of ten students deteriorated, they were transferred to the district hospital for further care.
The incident has been confirmed by the school headteacher, Durul Hoda, as well as the Residential Medical Officer (RMO) of Chapainawabganj 250-bed District Hospital, Mahbub Hasan.
Summary of the incident
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Salim Dolpara Government Primary School, Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila |
| Programme | School Feeding Programme |
| Food provided | Eggs and bread |
| Total affected students | 18 |
| Hospitalised students | 10 |
| Treatment facility | Chapainawabganj 250-bed District Hospital |
| Time of hospital admission | Wednesday afternoon to 8:00 pm |
| Current condition | Stable (hospitalised students) |
Headteacher Durul Hoda stated that students became ill shortly after eating the meal provided under the school feeding initiative. He noted that the school initially arranged basic treatment locally before transferring more serious cases to the district hospital.
Chapainawabganj District Primary Education Officer Saiful Islam said that the food supplied to the school had been provided by the non-governmental organisation Gram Unnayan Karm (GAK). He added that samples of the food have been collected and sent to a laboratory for testing in order to determine its quality and safety.
The education official further mentioned that similar incidents have occurred previously in different upazilas of the district involving students falling ill after consuming food under the school feeding programme. He confirmed that the matter has been reported to higher authorities. In response, the district administration had earlier formed an investigation committee as directed by the ministry, and that committee has already submitted its report.
On the other hand, GAK field official Atiq Hasan stated that the students may have become unwell due to excessive heat rather than the food itself. He added that the organisation supplies food to 213 government primary schools in Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila and claimed that no similar incidents had been reported elsewhere.
RMO Mahbub Hasan of Chapainawabganj 250-bed District Hospital confirmed that the ten admitted students are currently in stable condition. He also noted that, based on initial observations, both the possibility of substandard or unhygienic food and the impact of high temperature are being considered as contributing factors. However, no final determination has been made, and laboratory test results are awaited.
The incident has drawn attention to the ongoing monitoring and safety procedures associated with school feeding programmes in the region, particularly regarding food handling, distribution, and environmental conditions during service.