Hundreds of kindergarteners and primary school students today formed a human chain in Thakurgaon’s Sadar upazila to try and save their playground from the hand of land grabbers.

The students of Gareya village in the upazila told our local correspondent that they play on this ground regularly. School authorities too said they use the playground to arrange annual sports and prize giving ceremonies.

Guardians of the students who formed the human chain said they have seen the land being used as a playground and for other social activities for many years but now it is being claimed by a local duo.

Last June, money lenders Fakhrul Islam Juwel and Sajal Kumar Chowdhury claimed they bought the playground from those who partially own the land.

Poly Rani Roy, a guardian of one the students at the human chain, said she moved to the locality about twenty years back and since then she has seen children using this land as a playground.

Locals have also said the duo filed four “false cases against over 100 locals, including businessmen, teachers, and activists after failing to take the land by force.”

The children have demanded an immediate stop to this tug-of-war over their beloved playground.