Primary school in violence-hit Murshidabad resumes classes as tensions remain high  

Classes resume at Ghananhypur Elementary School in Murshidabad’s violence attacked Dhulian on April 17 or April 2025. Photo credit: Debash Bhaduri

Days after the violent protests and the violence of the mafia were developed in Samsheranj in the Murshidabad Law of Western Bengala on the WAQF Law (amendment), 2025 on April 11 and 12, a primary school with around 800 students resumance in silence classes.

The Ghananhyampur elementary school under Tinpakuria Gram Panchayat of the Samsheranj Police Station area resumed classes for students from the first to class 5 on April 16, only five days after a violent mafia shattered multiple stores and houses.

Three people died in the Crossfire-a father-son duo in Samsherganj and a 21-year-old man in Suti. The affected population, which still lives with fear, has demanded a permanent deployment of the central forces in the region.

Violence affected Dhuliyan families, Murshidabad waits in the tail to receive relief at Pallalpur high school in the Malda district after the violence of April 11 and 12. | Photo credit: Debash Bhaduri

The 45 -year -old director of the school, Sofikul Alam, said that the day the violence had exploded in the area, the students and teachers had finished a full day of school activities and went home safely.

“The school remained closed on April 14 and 15 for the holidays ordered by the Government. Then, on April 16, the teachers of this school went to convince the Guardians to let the children come to school. Many were convinced, Mr.” Alam told him The Hindu.

Mohammed Farookh Hossain, a math teacher at school, said students lived within a maximum of a two km radius of the school, the teachers lived much further and, therefore, fought more to reach school in the middle of the tense atmosphere.

“We wanted to make sure that the school is open even if people are still afraid. We believe that children who come to school are essential to restore a sense of normality in this area,” said Hossain.

Apurba Sarkar, another teacher at school, echoed similar feelings and added that children’s education should not be hindered by fear.

“The replica of violence continues to operate in everyone’s mind. As much as we all understand fear and apprehension, we cannot continue living in that terror. At some point we have to return to our normal lives and also help their fears, Mr.” Sarkar said.

Around 11 in the morning, a kind of mathematics was in session for students in class 5.

“I was very scared in recent days. I felt very weak inside. But I missed school and my friends, so when the forces arrived and my parents felt that the situation had calmed down, I decided to come to school,” said a class 5 student.

Coexist peacefully

Alam said that even this incident, Samshanganj had been known as a community port or harmony and that people of all religious origins were accustomed to coexisting peacefully.

“In this school, the teachers of both communities work together Joviary without any bitter feeling, despite the violence that took place a few days ago,” Alam said.

He added that the teachers of both communities had joined to help incinerate a former school director who died for natural causes a few days after violence had developed.

“The teacher, a Hindu, was sick for a few years. He died on April 15, only a few days after violence. Family friends, both Hindus and Muslims, helped the family with the last rites. I did the paperwork for their crematorium,” Alam said.