EDUCATION
Non-Government Teachers Suspend ‘Long March’, Announce Hunger Strike
Teachers and employees of MPO-listed non-government educational institutions in Bangladesh have suspended their planned “Long March to the Jamuna” and announced a continuous hunger strike to press home their three-point demand, including a 20% increase in house rent allowance.
The announcement was made on Thursday afternoon by Principal Delwar Hossain Azizi, member secretary of the Education Nationalisation Demand Alliance. “Tomorrow we will begin fasting. If our demands remain unmet, we will continue until death. Our bodies will go—alive or dead,” he declared at the gathering.
Azizi also announced that starting Sunday, all classes in private educational institutions would be suspended.
The teachers say the government’s proposed increase in housing and medical allowances is “insufficient and unrealistic.” They are demanding a 20% house rent allowance based on basic salary, a higher medical allowance, and the implementation of a universal transfer policy.
Earlier on Sunday, police clashed with protesting teachers near the National Press Club while attempting to remove them, during which sound grenades were reportedly used. Later, the teachers relocated to the Central Shaheed Minar and announced a continuous sit-in.
Many of the protesting teachers have been staying at the Shaheed Minar under the open sky for two consecutive nights. They vowed to continue their strike and class boycott until a formal government gazette is issued addressing their demands.
The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has issued a letter to the Finance Ministry requesting an upgrade of the pay scale for government primary school assistant teachers from the 13th grade to the 11th grade. The information was disclosed on Tuesday by the ministry’s adviser, Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar.
He stated that the letter aims to ensure that assistant teachers receive the benefits of the 11th-grade salary structure. Expressing deep sorrow over the recent death of assistant teacher Fatema Akter, who took part in the teachers’ movement, he assured support for her family.
Regarding the ongoing protests, the adviser said that nine teachers’ organisations were satisfied after discussions with the ministry. However, he criticised four “unauthorised” groups for misleading teachers and calling for what he described as an “unjustified” movement, causing unnecessary suffering.
Government primary school assistant teachers have announced an indefinite work abstention across the country from Sunday, demanding implementation of their three-point charter, including an upgrade of their pay scale to Grade 10.
The announcement came on Saturday evening from the Primary Teachers’ Demands Implementation Council, a coalition of four teachers’ associations.
Earlier in the day, police dispersed a procession of demonstrating teachers at Shahbagh, using batons, tear gas, sound grenades, and hot water cannons, leaving several teachers injured.
Teachers had been holding a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar since morning before marching toward Shahbagh in the afternoon. Police set up barricades to stop them, triggering a clash when the teachers tried to break through.
Mohammad Shamsuddin Masud, president of the Government Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association, alleged that police attacked a peaceful demonstration. “More than fifty teachers were injured, and two were detained,” he told reporters.
However, Khalid Monsur, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station, said teachers attempted to march toward the Chief Adviser’s residence, prompting police to intervene. “They tried to break the barricade, so we dispersed them,” he said.
Teachers have vowed to continue their work stoppage until their demands are fulfilled.
Government primary school assistant teachers across Bangladesh are set to stage a new protest, demanding implementation of their desired pay grade. The movement, organized under the banner of Prathomik Shikkhok Dabi Bastobayon Parishad (Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council), will begin on Saturday (November 8) with a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka.
In a statement, Mohammad Shamsuddin Masud, president of the Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association, announced that the teachers will continue their movement until their demands are met.
Their three-point charter of demands includes fixing the salary at the 10th grade, resolving the issue of higher grade promotion after 10 and 16 years of service, and ensuring 100 percent departmental promotion.
Several teacher organizations, including Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Kashem-Shahin), Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association, and the Assistant Teachers’ 10th Grade Implementation Council, will take part in the protest.
Organizers expect around 20,000 teachers to join the demonstration. Meanwhile, ministry officials have reportedly been in contact with teacher representatives.
Currently, Bangladesh has 65,567 government primary schools with about 384,000 teachers. In an order issued on April 24, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education upgraded head teachers’ pay from the 11th to 10th grade and assistant teachers’ pay from the 13th to 12th grade — a decision that has failed to satisfy assistant teachers.
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