Guardian Committees Intervene to Block Distribution of Spoiled Eggs at Meherpur Primary School

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

Authorities in Meherpur’s Gangni upazila have successfully averted the distribution of substandard food at a local primary school after a newly formed parental oversight committee identified rotten eggs among a scheduled mid-day meal delivery. The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education confirmed Friday that the incident at the Bashbaria Government Primary School was intercepted by the “Guardian Committee,” forcing the supplier to replace the contaminated stock within an hour.

The intervention marks a significant success for the government’s recently implemented monitoring initiative. In response to recurring reports of poor-quality food—including overripe bananas, stale bread, and spoiled eggs—the ministry introduced five-member oversight committees in May. These panels, composed of the school’s head teacher, a management committee member, and three mothers, were established to ensure food safety and quality across the national school feeding program.

Following the report of the incident, which occurred on July 1 when 20 out of 133 supplied eggs were found to be of poor quality, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj ordered an immediate investigation. The probe confirmed the breach by the supplier, Sushilon, which was subsequently compelled to remove the inferior goods and provide fresh replacements. Addressing the matter, Minister Hajjaj emphasized a zero-tolerance policy regarding the health and safety of primary school students, warning that strict accountability measures will be enforced for both suppliers and field-level officials to prevent future lapses.

Driver Alleges Former MP Used Government Contracts to Cover Up Affair

Read More

The national school feeding program, launched in September of last year, currently supports approximately 3 million students across 19,419 schools in 150 upazilas. Designed to combat malnutrition, improve attendance, and reduce dropout rates, the program provides a standardized menu featuring fortified biscuits, bananas, hard-boiled eggs, bread, and UHT milk.

Despite the program’s expansion goals, concerns persist regarding the integrity of the supply chain. Because many food items are sourced locally through agents contracted by larger firms, oversight gaps have emerged. Critics have pointed to discrepancies in procurement, noting that some contractors provide low-cost, low-quality alternatives despite higher government allocations. As the ministry seeks to scale the program nationwide, it remains under pressure to professionalize the logistical framework and tighten quality control to ensure that the nutritional needs of students are not compromised by administrative or contractual negligence.