Teachers and staff from private MPO-listed educational institutions across the country observed a strike on Tuesday – the third day of their protest. Halting classes and exams nationwide, they continued their sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka.
The protestors issued an “ultimatum” to the government, demanding an order by 4pm Tuesday, or they would proceed with their “March to Secretariat” programme. Their primary demands include an increase in house rent, medical allowances, and festival allowances.
The protestors rejected the “proposal for discussion” from the education adviser, but at the request of Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser of the National Citizen Party (NCP) Southern Region, have postponed the ‘Long March to Secretariat’ until 4pm Tuesday.
They have given the government until this timeframe to meet their demands. If the government fails to respond, they will proceed with the march to the Secretariat.
Teachers and staff from schools, colleges, and madrassas across the country have already gathered at Shaheed Minar to join the protest. The protest is being led by the “MPO Bhukto Shikkha Jatiokoron Prottashi Jote.”
The protestors insist that the government issue a notification regarding their demands for a 20% house rent allowance, Tk 1,500 medical allowance, and 75% festival allowance for employees.
They have vowed to continue the strike and sit-in in Dhaka until their demands are met.
Delwar Hossain Azizi, secretary general of the alliance, said, “Teachers have been deprived for a long time. We won’t return home until our demands are met. The children of ministers and advisers do not attend MPO institutions, so they do not understand our struggles.
“The life we lead is not living; it is a struggle for survival.”
He also warned that the strike would intensify, with the “Long March to Secretariat” becoming a central focus of the movement.
On Sunday, teachers protesting at the Press Club faced police baton charges, the use of water cannons, and sound grenades. The teachers condemned this action and demanded a thorough investigation, as well as the release of detained teachers and staff.
Due to the ongoing protests and strikes, classes at schools and colleges across the country have come to a standstill, and the typhoid vaccination programme has also been disrupted in many areas.
Officials from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance have been in discussions about the issue. However, protestors have made it clear that they will not back down unless an official written order is issued.
Currently, MPO-listed teachers and staff receive salaries according to the national pay scale, but they have expressed dissatisfaction with their house rent and medical allowances.
Although the house rent allowance was recently increased from Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500, teachers remain upset because it does not amount to 20% of their salary.
The medical allowance is still capped at 500 Tk per month, while employees have demanded 75% of their salary as festival allowance.
Meanwhile, several political and student organisations, including Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Ducsu, and Inquilab Mancha, have expressed solidarity with the ongoing teachers’ movement.
