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Students at Madhya Sahapur Poura Govt Primary School in Phulpur, Mymensingh, are deprived of sports, assemblies, and outdoor activities for at least four months each year due to a waterlogged playground. Heavy or moderate rains leave the field submerged for extended periods, halting all outdoor engagement and impacting children's physical and mental well-being.

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We cannot play with our classmates. We cannot even hold our daily assemblies.

Locals allege the stagnant water has created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, posing health risks to the children. The situation has persisted for over two decades, exacerbated in recent years by the blockage of culverts that previously facilitated rainwater drainage. Tayeba and Shanto Mia, both fifth graders, expressed their inability to play with classmates or hold daily assemblies due to the flooded and muddy field.

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The problem had worsened in recent years after the earlier drainage system was blocked by a section of locals.

Md Ashik Ullah, the school's headteacher, stated that approximately 160 students are affected. The school, established in a low-lying area in 2003, has faced this issue since its inception, with the condition worsening recently. Md Kosimuddin, a donor member of the school managing committee, confirmed that authorities have been informed multiple times without effective action. Upazila Education Officer Shahnewaz Begum acknowledged the worsening problem due to blocked drainage, while Md Shafiqul Islam, assistant commissioner (Land) and administrator of Phulpur municipality, assured that necessary steps would be taken and a fund secured for a mud road to improve access.

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They had been informed about the problem and necessary steps would be taken soon.