Police charge batons on protesting Rohingya camp teachers; 28 held, freed hours later
Several protesters were injured
Police baton-charged dismissed Unicef project teachers in Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps today (20 August) and detained 28 people as they protested for reinstatement of their jobs.
After daylong tense development in Ukhia upazila, the detainees were freed one by one from the Ukhia police station around 4pm, following negotiations between local political leaders and the authorities.
Earlier, police clashed with protesters at the Foliapara road junction near the Ukhia sadar on the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf road around 9am. Officers detained 28 people, including several student activists from the July Movement.
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As news of the detention spread, angry demonstrators gathered near the police station and hurled brick chips at its compound.
Leaders from BNP, Jamaat, NCP, Gono Odhikar Parishad, and Chhatra Shibir rushed to the scene and convened a meeting.
Following the discussions, an all-party coordination committee was formed to pursue the key demands related to the incident. The newly formed committee will coordinate through a WhatsApp group.
Confirming the development, Ukhia upazila BNP convener Sarwar Jahan Chowdhury said, "Along with the release of the detainees, five issues have been raised. Those responsible for the police assault and arrests must be identified and held accountable through an investigation."
He further stated that on 25 August, during the Chief Adviser's visit to Cox's Bazar, the committee will press for the reinstatement of the dismissed teachers. And will place the demand to form a judicial inquiry committee to investigate the incidents, he added.
Earlier on Monday, the dismissed teachers blocked Cox's Bazar-Teknaf road at Court Bazar station for 10 hours, causing a six-kilometer traffic jam and leaving thousands of vehicles stranded.
Around 1,250 teachers lost their jobs after UNICEF and Save the Children suspended all NGO-run education programmes in the Rohingya camps of Ukhia and Teknaf on 3 June, sparking the ongoing movement.
