Several protesting teacher candidates detained, police say will be released
Police today (16 February) detained a number of government primary school assistant teacher candidates who were marching towards the Secretariat protesting against a High Court verdict that cancelled their appointments.
Police did not disclose how many of the protesters were detained.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Ramna division) Masud Alam said the detainees will be released.
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He urged the protesters to realise their demands legally instead of protesting in the streets.
Mentioning that the Secretariat is a high security area, he said, "Section 144 is always in force here. We cannot allow protests in front of the Secretariat."
Earlier in the day, police barred the protesters as they marched towards the Secretariat.
Police charged batons and used tear gas and water cannons to remove the protesters from the road in front of Shiksha Bhaban near the Secretariat.
On 6 February, the High Court cancelled the process of appointing 6,531 assistant teachers for government primary schools in Dhaka and Chattogram divisions.
According to the demonstrators, the recruitment notice for assistant teachers was issued in three phases. While the final recruitment process for the first and second phases has been completed, the third phase has faced delays and complications.
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.
