Twenty students in Madaripur fell ill after consuming government-provided tiffin meals, prompting the district administration to form a five-member investigation committee. The committee, headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner Jewel Ahmed, was instructed to submit its report within three working days. The incident occurred on Wednesday, April 8, when students in several areas of Sadar upazila ate bread and eggs distributed under the government feeding program by a contractor named Samata Traders.

Soon after eating, students began suffering from stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Several students from Pokrar Char Government Primary School were hospitalized in serious condition, causing panic among parents. The affected schools include Pokrar Char, Razar Char, Haujdi, and Kordi Government Primary Schools, among others. District Primary Education Officer Md. Fazle Elahi stated that expired food items were responsible for the illness and that higher authorities had been informed.

Samata Traders’ operations manager AFM Ahasanul Habib said the company supplies tiffin to 89,151 students in 723 schools across five upazilas and promised greater caution in the future.