Police charge batons, lob sound grenades as non-govt teacher aspirants march to Secretariat
The clash took place in front of the National Press Club at around 1:25pm
Police have charged batons and hurled five sound grenades as a group of non-government teacher aspirants who attempted to break through a police barricade and march towards the Secretariat today (15 June).
The clash took place in front of the National Press Club at around 1:25pm.
As of the filing of this report, the protesters – who are demanding to be allowed to participate in new exams – took their position in front of the police barricade. They left around 4:30pm.
"A few members of the 17th Non-Government Teachers Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) batch wanted to meet the advisers. When their request was not granted, they attempted to enter the Secretariat forcefully. Police used sound grenades to disperse them," said Abdullah Al Mamun, assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) Ramna zone.
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According to sources, these protesting teacher aspirants all took the teacher registration exam in 2020. However, due to Covid-19, their results were not published until December 2023.
Since then, they have not been appointed to any positions. Many of them are now over 30 years old, which means they are no longer eligible to apply under new recruitment notices.
While the government has granted a three-month age relaxation in the latest notice, many of these individuals are now 35 years old, rendering that concession ineffective for them.
During the demonstration today, they were marching towards the Secretariat, draped in shrouds to symbolise their desperation, demanding to be allowed to participate in new exams.
Their protest was met with police barricades and tear gas in front of the Press Club, where they were dispersed.
Earlier on 8 June, DMP issued a public notice banning all forms of meetings, gatherings, rallies, and processions in the areas surrounding the Bangladesh Secretariat, the Chief Adviser's official residence, Jamuna, among other places.
Meanwhile, another group of candidates who were dropped at the viva voce stage of the 18th Non-Government Teachers' Registration Examination staged a sit-in since 8am till afternoon in front of the NTRCA office in the Eskaton area, demanding a re-evaluation of the results and the issuance of registration certificates.
