Stop using students for VIP reception

Despite clear instruction from the education ministry and huge criticism by the media, the ministers and members of parliament are accorded reception by school children. In fact, students are compelled to stay long hours under the scorching sun to welcome VIPs. Recently, media reported that students of Enayatpur Islamia High School waited an hour in sweltering heat to welcome a member of parliament and one student fainted due to the heat.

We must abandon this practice because it is nothing but troublesome for children. I want to thank the media for publishing the report as it creates a pressure on the public representatives not to accept such a welcome. We hope the media will keep publishing such reports as it is a good way to save our children from useless reception. We also thank the education ministry for taking the praiseworthy step to ban using children to welcome dignitaries. The public representatives should realise that they are supposed to work towards betterment of the people and they are public servants. We hope the media will remain alert so that we don't see pictures of small children in newspaper being used for reception of VIPs.

Sakibul Alam

Gopibagh, Dhaka