The upazila health department has formed a three-member committee to investigate after 50 students at Jorkhali High School in Noakhali’s Hatiya fell ill and required hospital treatment across three separate episodes over the past week. District civil surgeon Anwar Hossain confirmed the matter on Wednesday (September 16) night.
The civil surgeon said: “Upazila health officer Manasi Rani Sarkar has been made head of the committee. The other two members are the upazila secondary education officer and Hatiya police station’s OC. They have been asked to submit their report within seven working days.”
The district health department said that, according to their preliminary assessment, mass hysteria may be behind the students falling ill, though this is not yet the confirmed cause; the investigation committee will work to establish the actual reason. Sixteen students at the same school had earlier fallen ill and received hospital treatment on September 7, followed by another 21 students on September 14. The most recent episode, on Wednesday, saw 13 more students fall ill, bringing the total to 50.