Government primary school teachers across Bangladesh have announced an indefinite nationwide work stoppage after violent clashes with police in Dhaka left more than 200 people injured.
The confrontation erupted on Saturday afternoon when police charged batons, used water cannons and fired sound grenades to disperse a “Pen Down” protest march near Shahbagh.
Teachers said the rally, organised to press for higher pay and career benefits, was peaceful until police intervened. Several protesters were detained.
Protest over pay and promotions
The demonstration was part of a “Pen Surrender March” organised by the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council, which has been demanding that assistant teachers be placed in the 10th grade of the government pay scale.
The council’s president, Abul Kashem, announced the decision to suspend all classes from Sunday “until further notice.”
“With the consent of all teacher leaders, it has been decided that all government primary schools will remain closed until our demands are met,” he said.
Shamsuddin Masud, president of the Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association, said more than 200 teachers were injured in the police action. “Those with serious injuries have been taken to Dhaka College Hospital for treatment,” he told TIMES Bangladesh.
Police defend action
Witnesses said the clash began around 4:00pm when police stopped the march as it moved from the Central Shaheed Minar towards Shahbagh.
Police officials claimed the situation escalated after protesters attempted to break through security barricades. Shahbagh Police Station officer-in-charge Khalid Mansur said five or six teachers had been taken in for questioning.
DMP deputy commissioner Masud Alam said officers had been trying to persuade protesters to return to the Shaheed Minar when “a section of them suddenly broke through the first barricade.”
“We then tried to disperse them,” he said.
In a statement, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said protesters had tried to march toward the state guesthouse Jamuna and began throwing bricks and stones after breaking police lines. “To disperse them, police used several rounds of sound grenades and water cannons,” the statement read.
Government stance
Earlier in the day, Primary and Mass Education Adviser Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar urged teachers to return to classrooms, saying their demand for a 10th grade placement “has no justification.”
“Head teachers have already been placed in the 10th grade, and efforts are underway to place assistant teachers in the 11th grade,” he said at an event in Khulna.
He added that the Ministry of Public Administration had rejected the demand for 100 per cent departmental promotion to head teacher posts, reiterating the government’s 80:20 policy — 80 per cent promotion, 20 per cent new recruitment.
United front
Four teacher organisations have united under the banner of the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council to lead the movement. Their three key demands are: upgrading assistant teachers to the 10th grade pay scale, ensuring 100 per cent departmental promotion to head teacher posts, and granting higher grade benefits after 10 and 16 years of service.
The teachers began their sit-in at the Shaheed Minar on Friday night and vowed to continue the protest until the government meets their demands.
