‘This is deception’: Aspiring assistant teachers vow to fight for appointment amid police crackdown
"We're here for an appointment letter. Either we return with it, or our dead body goes home. Nothing else will happen."
These chilling words from Fatema Amin, a protesting teacher from Sariatpur, echoed the desperation of hundreds of aspiring assistant teachers who took to the streets of Shahbagh yesterday, demanding their promised government jobs.
The demonstration turned violent as police baton-charged the protesters and fired sound grenades and tear gas shells to disperse them. Photos of the crackdown quickly spread across social media, sparking outrage and criticism.
The teachers had previously been recommended for appointments at government primary schools in Dhaka and Chattogram under different phases of recruitment. However, a recent High Court ruling cancelled these appointments, citing alleged irregularities. The ruling has left thousands in limbo, their dreams of a stable career suddenly shattered.
"This very government recommended our recruitment, yet now our appointments have been cancelled. This is deception," a protester said. "We demand the immediate cancellation of this ruling and confirmation of our appointments."
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Another protester, Sabbir Sadeq, vowed to continue the fight, saying "We will not leave until our demands are met. We were told that the hearing would take place this week, but we do not accept that. A special court must be convened today itself to resolve the issue. Otherwise, we will not leave the streets."
The demonstrators, gathered under the banner of 'Recommended Government Primary School Assistant Teachers (Third Phase – Dhaka and Chattogram Divisions),' began their sit-in at Shahbagh intersection around 1pm, disrupting traffic as they chanted slogans against the court ruling. Police intervened within half an hour, using water cannons to disperse the crowd.
However, the protesters regrouped at 3pm, forcing another police response with tear gas. Traffic briefly resumed, only for the demonstrators to return at 3:30pm, blocking the road leading from Shahbagh to Science Lab intersection, our correspondent reports from the spot.
As of 4pm, vehicles were plying on the road from Shahbagh towards Bangla Motor, and from Dhaka University and Matsa Bhaban towards Bangla Motor.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Division Asad Noor told TBS, "The police are removing the protesters who were blocking the road. However, a few women refused to leave the streets and sat on the road. We are trying to remove them."
Onlookers said at least 10 people were injured during the scuffle.
Earlier on 6 February, the High Court cancelled the process of appointing 6,531 assistant teachers for government primary schools in Dhaka and Chattogram divisions.
The court also directed the authorities to start a fresh recruitment process based on merit.
The recruitment process had been completed in three phases, and the final results were published on 31 October 2024.
The court's decision came after a petition was filed by 30 unsuccessful candidates who challenged the recruitment process on the grounds of quota system violations.
The petitioners argued that the quota system implemented in the recruitment process was contrary to the government's subsequent order to abolish all previous quotas.
