Ctg teacher injured by falling fan alleges no compensation eight months on as school shuts

A private school teacher in Chattogram has alleged that she has yet to receive any compensation eight months after being seriously injured by a falling ceiling fan during a class, while the school has since shut down and its authority are no longer traceable.

Ferdous Begum Dolly, 39, said the incident occurred on 21 July 2025 around 12:30pm while she was taking a regular class at a school in the Bayezid area.

"Suddenly, a ceiling fan came loose and fell, hitting my left ear," she told The Business Standard, adding that colleagues rushed her to a nearby hospital where she was admitted in critical condition.

She claimed that the classroom's ceiling fans and electrical fittings had long been in a risky condition.

"I had verbally informed the authorities several times before the incident, but no repair or safety measures were taken," she added.

The injury caused severe damage to her ear, requiring surgery and prolonged treatment, she added.

"I have already spent a large amount on treatment, and more will be needed, but the school has not provided any compensation and dismissed me from my job while I was still undergoing treatment," Dolly said.

She accused the school's principal, Sara Tanvir, of ignoring her requests for financial support and removing her from WhatsApp groups, labelling her a "former teacher" before she had fully recovered.

Dolly further alleged that the principal informed students and guardians that she had already recovered.

The teacher said that when she attempted to pursue the matter, the school was eventually shut down and those involved left the area, making it more difficult for her to seek compensation.

She has filed a general diary with Bayezid Bostami Police Station and sought legal assistance from the relevant authorities.

A visit to the site found no ongoing academic activities at the Baraka Heights building in Bayezid, where the institution, Red-Green Academy, had been operating.

A caretaker at the building, requesting anonymity, said the school had closed last year due to a decline in student numbers.

A guardian, Sajjad Hossain, said, "The school once had over 100 students, but by last year the number came down to around 25 due to poor management, so I transferred my daughter to another school in 2025."

Dolly said that when the school finally shut in December 2025, only 15 students remained.

The injured teacher further alleged that she and her family have been threatened for speaking out about the incident.

Contacted for comment, Sub-Inspector Imamul Hasan of Bayezid police station confirmed a general diary had been filed and said the case was initially handled by another officer before being reassigned to him following a transfer.

He added that the accused had initially assured compensation but later became unreachable.

When contacted, principal Sara Tanvir claimed that the teacher received treatment at a nearby hospital immediately after the incident, with the expenses covered by the school.

Photo: Courtesy

She described the injury as minor and said the teacher recovered within a few days, and alleged that the teacher later demanded Tk10 lakh to Tk12 lakh in compensation, which she termed unreasonable.

She said a legal notice sent by the teacher had been responded to, and attempts were made to resolve the issue. However, she could not provide a copy of the reply when requested.

Although Sara Tanvir described Dolly's injury as minor, photographs taken during treatment show a deep cut through the middle of her right ear, raising concerns about possible complications.

After reviewing the images and medical documents, public health specialist Dr Somen Palit said the ear is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body.

He noted that the injury appeared severe and could result in neurological damage and hearing loss, potentially leading to serious health consequences.