The storied legacy of Hamidabad Higher Secondary School in Dhubri, a cornerstone of regional education since its founding in 1941 by Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani Sahab, is now facing its most critical threat from the relentless erosion of the Brahmaputra River. This once-prominent institution, which stood as the sole centre for higher education in the greater region before India’s independence and played a foundational role in shaping countless students, is now teetering on the edge of extinction.
The school’s existence has been marred by repeated disruption, having already been forced to relocate multiple times in response to the river’s powerful currents. Despite these continual hardships, the school remains operational, symbolizing resilience for the local community, yet the ever-present anxiety of another displacement now permeates the daily lives of both students and staff.
For the community, the potential loss extends beyond a mere physical structure; it represents the possible erasure of a crucial piece of heritage, academic aspirations, and vital social stability. There is a deep-seated fear that without immediate and durable riverbank protection measures, the region risks losing one of its oldest and most prestigious educational foundations.
In response to the escalating crisis, community leaders and school authorities have launched urgent appeals to both the state and central governments. They are demanding robust, anti-erosion interventions and a comprehensive, long-term strategy to permanently secure the institution. Their argument is clear: Hamidabad Higher Secondary School must be preserved, not only for its continuing role as a centre of learning but also as a significant monument to pre-independence history and collective perseverance. As the Brahmaputra maintains its steady assault, time is rapidly diminishing for this historic guardian of knowledge, transforming the effort to save the school from a mere developmental issue into a profound cultural responsibility.
