Government primary school teachers have launched a grand rally at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Saturday, pressing for a three-point charter of demands that includes higher pay, promotions and resolution of grade-related complications.
The demonstration, organised under the banner of the “Primary Assistant Teachers’ Organization Unity Council,” began at 10am with the national anthem. Leaders said assistant teachers should be placed in grade 11 with improved salary and benefits, vacant head teacher posts should be filled through full promotion, and higher grade complications after 10 and 16 years of service must be addressed.
Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association President Mohammad Shamshuddin Masud warned of tougher action if the government fails to deliver a clear commitment. Political representatives from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Nationalist Citizen Party(NCP), Gono Sanghati Andolon and Gono Odhikar Parishad are expected to join the rally.
Teachers have long campaigned for better status. From May 5 this year, they enforced strikes in phases, culminating in an indefinite work stoppage on May 26, which ended after four days following assurances from the Primary and Mass Education Adviser. But with no progress in three months, teachers have returned to protest.
On July 18, the Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association staged a separate rally at Shaheed Minar, issuing an ultimatum to meet demands by September 18 or face hunger strikes in schools nationwide from September 30.
According to the Directorate of Primary Education, nearly 400,000 teachers are employed in over 65,000 government primary schools. Head teachers are placed in the 10th grade, while assistant teachers remain in the 13th grade.
