Teachers, staff continue sit-in for second day at Shaheed Minar; classes remain suspended
The current continuous sit-in follows an ultimatum issued by them on 13 August, demanding the nationalisation of MPO-listed private educational institutions, along with increased benefits
Highlights
- MPO-listed teachers and staff continued their second day of sit-in and began work abstention nationwide
- Protesters demand 20% house rent, Tk1,500 medical allowances, and 75% festival allowances
- Demonstrations called for justice over police action and the release of detainees
- Classes and education programmes remain suspended
- Teachers have reportedly pressed for better benefits and nationalisation since 2011
Teachers from MPO-listed schools, colleges, madrasahs, and technical education institutions across the country continued their sit-in for the second day and began work abstention today (13 October), demanding the issuance of a government order to increase their allowances.
The demonstrators under the banner "Alliance for Nationalisation of MPO-listed Education" are seeking a 20% house rent allowance, a Tk1,500 medical allowance, and a 75% festival allowance for non-teaching staff.
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Teachers and employees were seen staging a protest at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka. They also demanded a fair investigation and punitive action over the police attack on protesting teachers in front of the National Press Club yesterday (12 October). In addition, they called for the immediate release of those detained during the demonstration.
Earlier, last night, the alliance's Member Secretary Delwar Hossain Azizi along with over a hundred teachers, spent the night at the Shaheed Minar premises to press home their demands.
Office activities are ongoing, but all teaching activities have been suspended. We will continue our sit-in and work abstention until our demands are met.
Classes remain suspended across all MPO-listed educational institutions in the country as teachers began their work abstention. The strike has also disrupted classes and school-based programmes.
ATM Safi Mahmud, assistant professor at Dargahat Degree College in Kahaloo upazila of Bogura, said, "Three of us came from our institution to join the Dhaka sit-in. Although other teachers went to campus today, no classes are being held as part of the work abstention."
Moulod Hossain, lecturer at Raghunathpur College in Nawabganj upazila of Dinajpur, said, "Office activities are ongoing, but all teaching activities have been suspended. We will continue our sit-in and work abstention until our demands are met."
A senior teacher from an MPO-listed school in Mollahat upazila in Bagerhat, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TBS that there are 27 MPO-listed schools in the upazila, and none of them are conducting classes. "All teachers and staff are observing the strike. In some schools, only attendances have been recorded," he said.
The teacher also mentioned that all headteachers from the upazila gathered for a meeting to discuss how teachers from Mollahat can take part in the ongoing protests in Dhaka.
Typhoid vaccination programme in schools
Fayez Ahmed, coordinator of the Alliance for Nationalisation of MPO-listed Education, told The Business Standard that students had already registered for the typhoid vaccine in advance. They are being vaccinated at their respective institutions according to the schedule. Only regular classes have been suspended. He said the teachers' work abstention is unlikely to significantly disrupt the vaccination programme.
However, Rowshan Ali, assistant teacher at St. Louis Secondary School in Jhikargacha upazila of Jashore, said the registration process and vaccination activities could be hampered due to the work abstention, as many students are not coming to school, thinking it is completely closed.
Akbar Ali Mondal, Superintendent of Goyalkandi Dakhil Madrasa in Bagmara Upazila, Rajshahi, said all teachers and staff in their institution have been observing a work stoppage in protest of the police attack in Dhaka.
When asked about the vaccination programme, he said the madrasa has scheduled vaccinations for students tomorrow. The students have been instructed to attend, and the vaccination programme will continue despite the work stoppage.
Dr SIM Rajul Karim, civil surgeon of Rajshahi, said that they are monitoring whether the teachers' strike at private educational institutions is affecting the vaccination programme. After inspecting several schools since morning, they have found that the strike has not yet impacted vaccination activities. The vaccination programme is proceeding as usual.
Inquiries at several schools in Brahmanbaria revealed that students are voluntarily receiving the typhoid vaccine. Alongside healthcare workers, the school teachers are also encouraging students to get vaccinated.
In Bangladesh, MPO-listed teachers are educators employed at private schools and colleges that receive government funding through the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) system.
Reason behind the protest
The current continuous sit-in follows an ultimatum issued by them on 13 August, demanding the nationalisation of MPO-listed private educational institutions along with increased benefits.
While the ministry reportedly agreed in principle to increase house rent to 20% and medical allowance from Tk500 to Tk1,000, it cited budget constraints and stated that implementation would be gradual.
The teachers, who reportedly have been on protest since 2011 for these benefits, are now pushing the interim government to translate the verbal assurances into official gazettes. They warned in August that failure to meet their demands would result in a continuous occupation of the press club area.
