Teachers of MPO-listed educational institutions have announced indefinite work abstention from Monday, leading to a disruption to academic activities across the country.
Many students said classes at public colleges, MPO-listed non-government schools, colleges, and madrasas have been suspended, putting the academic future of over 20 million students at risk.
MPO-listed teachers have launched the strike to meet a three-point demand. The demands include 20% house rent allowance on basic pay, raising festival allowance from 50% to 75%, and increasing medical allowance to Tk 1,500.
Earlier on Sunday, teachers staged a sit-in in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka. In the face of police barricade, they moved to Central Shaheed Minar and spent the night there, vowing to continue their movement until the demands are met.
“We have begun work abstention at most MPO-listed institutions across the country,” said Delawar Hossain Azizi, member secretary of the MPO Teachers’ Nationalisation Platform.
“We hope the ministry will take effective steps to resolve the deadlock,” he added.
Abul Bashar Hawlader, president of Bangladesh Teachers’ Union, said, “Teachers from over 30,000 MPO-listed schools, colleges, and madrasas will continue their strike until the demands are fulfilled.”
Government college teachers join the strike
The BCS General Education Cadre Association has also declared work abstention in protest over the harassment of a teacher at Dhaka College.
Dr Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel, convener of the association, told Times of Bangladesh, “All government college teachers will observe work abstention on 14 October. On 15 October, we will meet to decide the next course of action.”
Seven colleges’ teachers protest
Tensions escalated further as teachers of the seven affiliated colleges in Dhaka also declared work abstention following an incident of harassment of a teacher during a student demonstration linked to Dhaka Central University.
Mahfil Ara Begum, convener of the Seven College Autonomy Protection Committee and professor at Eden Mohila College, said, “We are not against new universities, but they should be established outside these seven historic colleges. Why should these institutions be merged with the new university?”
Teachers expressed concerns that there is no clear solution for existing higher secondary students and no guarantee that current staff would be absorbed into the proposed university structure. They urged the government not to issue an ordinance without a well-defined plan.
Students demand university ordinance
Meanwhile, students of the seven government colleges have launched protests demanding the immediate issuance of the Dhaka Central University Act–2025.
They staged demonstrations in front of Shikkha Bhaban on Monday, calling for the integration of all enrolled students into the new university, issuance of the ordinance within three days, and the appointment of a vice-chancellor within 15 days of the ordinance to launch academic activities.
NTRCA job seekers issue ultimatum
Adding to the unrest, job seekers, who passed the 18th registration examination under the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA), staged demonstrations demanding recruitment.
They said 60,521 candidates passed the exam, but only 41,627 were recommended for jobs through the sixth public notice issued on 19 August.
Over 16,000 qualified candidates were left out despite nearly 60,000 vacancies remaining. They issued an ultimatum to recruit them through a special notice by 31 December.
Hunger strike enters second week
Meanwhile, a group of job seekers, who were denied certificates after passing the 18th registration exam, have been staging a sit-in in front of the National Press Club for 42 days. On Sunday, they began a hunger strike.
Sajedur Rahman, one of the protesters, said, “A total of 81,000 candidates passed the written exam and took the viva.
Certificates were issued to 60,521 candidates, but 20,575 were denied without explanation. Many were deprived even though there were no viva scores recorded against their names.”
The simultaneous movements by MPO-listed teachers, government college faculty, university students, and NTRCA job seekers have thrown the country’s education sector into uncertainty, with no immediate resolution in sight.
