Assam: Dhubri school battles Brahmaputra’s erosion threat, urgent intervention sought

Hamidabad Higher Secondary School in Dhubri, a historic educational landmark established in 1941 by Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani Sahab, is now confronting one of the most severe challenges in its long legacy. The relentless erosion of the Brahmaputra River has pushed this once-prominent institution to the brink of extinction.

Before India’s independence, the school served as the sole centre for higher education in the greater region, becoming a foundational pillar in shaping generations of students. Today, however, its storied past is overshadowed by an uncertain future as the surging river inches dangerously closer to its premises.

The school’s existence has been repeatedly disrupted, having already been relocated multiple times due to powerful erosion. Despite ongoing hardships, it continues to function, a symbol of resilience for the local community. But the anxiety of waking up to yet another displacement has become part of daily life for students and staff.

For residents, the threat is not merely the loss of a physical structure — it is the potential erasure of heritage, academic dreams, and social stability. They fear that without urgent and permanent riverbank protection measures, the region will lose one of its oldest and most prestigious educational foundations.

Community leaders and school authorities have urgently appealed to both state and central governments, demanding robust anti-erosion interventions and a long-term solution to safeguard the institution. They argue that Hamidabad Higher Secondary School deserves to be preserved not only as a centre of learning but also as a monument to pre-independence history and collective perseverance.

As the Brahmaputra continues its steady assault, time is running out for this historic guardian of knowledge. Saving the school is no longer just a developmental concern — it is a cultural responsibility.