Latachapli Government Primary School in Kuakata, Patuakhali, has 419 students in a four-storey building, but no toilets for them inside.

Their only option is an old, dilapidated building nearby with six toilets, three each for boys and girls. Half are unusable, while the rest are so filthy and foul-smelling due to poor sewerage maintenance that students tend to avoid them.

As a result, students who need to use a toilet during school hours often have to return home, missing one or two classes.

“We usually use the washroom before leaving home for school,” said Rafiq, 10, a student.

Teachers face similar difficulties. Of the school’s 10 staff members, eight are women, but there is no separate toilet facility for them.

A female teacher, requesting anonymity, said they take only small sips of water to avoid needing to use the toilet during the nearly six-hour school day. Many students do the same, she added.

Prof Md Mahbubul Haque, professor and head of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, said holding urine for long periods can increase the risk of urinary infections.

Younger children may be unable to hold urine for long, leaving them at risk of embarrassment and psychological distress, while unhygienic toilets can increase the risk of helminthiasis, diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis A, he said.

Prof Mahbubul suggested at least two toilets on each floor of a four-storey school building.

Md Nazrul Islam, headteacher of Latachapli school, said the building was constructed without a washroom even though the Local Government Engineering Department supervised the construction and approved the design.

“We have shown the matter to the upazila education officer when he came for inspection,” he said.

Nazrul said LGED officials had told him that a separate allocation would be made for a washblock, but no step had yet been taken.

Sahida Begum, upazila primary education officer in Kalapara, said she had communicated the issue to LGED and Department of Public Health Engineering authorities.

Waliyar Rahman, LGED executive engineer in Patuakhali, said the department only constructs school buildings, while DPHE is responsible for wash blocks.

Asrafuzzaman, DPHE executive engineer in Patuakhali, said the department provides wash blocks for primary schools based on demands submitted through primary education authorities.

He could not immediately explain why Latachapli had not received wash blocks or give a timeline for providing the facilities, saying it would depend on the next project and the relevant authorities.

He said he would look into the matter.