Home
+
Published : 25 Nov 2025, 01:30 PM
Primary school assistant teachers have launched a three-day total work stoppage to press for a series of demands relating to pay grades and promotions.
The protest action started on Tuesday under the banner of the “Primary Assistant Teacher Organisations' Unity Council”, a coalition of 12 teacher groups.
The council is calling for entry-level assistant teachers to be placed in Grade 11 of the government pay scale, the resolution of complications surrounding higher grades after 10 and 16 years of service, and guaranteed 100% departmental promotion.
Shahinur Al Amin, president of Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers’ Society -- one of the coalition’s member groups -- said that they had given the government until Nov 15 to address the demands.
"As the demands were not implemented, we observed half-day work stoppages on Sunday and Monday. Our three-day, full-day work stoppage has now begun," he added.
Shahinur, an assistant teacher at Baghasur Govt Primary School in Keraniganj, said that teachers at his school were observing the work stoppage.
Anisur Rahman, an assistant teacher at Suritola Model Government Primary School in Old Dhaka and president of the coalition's Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers’ Society, also confirmed the observance of a full-day work stoppage at his school.
He said a complete work stoppage would be held on Nov 25 and 26, followed by a sit-in programme outside the Directorate of Primary Education on Nov 27.
"If there is no visible progress or announcement over the fulfilment of the demands within this period, we will boycott the annual examination starting on the 1st of December and begin a hunger strike unto death from the 11th."
Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, a teacher at Thanagaon Government Primary School in Osmani Nagar Upazila, Sylhet, said the strike is under way at his school.
Rezaul Karim, a teacher at 114 Omar Bepari Kandi Government Primary School in Madaripur’s Shibchar Upazila, said the work abstention is also ongoing there.
Meanwhile, teachers affiliated with the “Primary Teachers' Demands Implementation Council”, a coalition of four organisations of government primary school assistant teachers who recently campaigned to push for the three demands, including salaries at the Grade 10 level, did not take part in the protest campaign.
Mohammad Shamsuddin Masud, an assistant teacher at Tripalpur Government Primary School in Noakhali Sadar Upazila and convener of the council, told bdnews24.com that classes are ongoing at their school.
He said, "Following the movement, we were given assurances by the government that Grade 11 salary would be granted, and we have given them until the 29th of November to implement it. If the demand is not met, we will start a full-scale work stoppage from the 30th."
From Nov 8, teachers launched a continuous sit-in at Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar over grade, salary, and promotion issues.
On that day, they attempted a march towards Shahbagh while observing a pen-strike programme.
Police intercepted them outside Shahbagh Police Station, using tear gas shells, water cannons, and batons, forcing them to return to Shaheed Minar.
Several teachers were injured, prompting a strike from the following day.
On Nov 10, officials from finance and primary and mass education ministries met the teachers, promising pay at the 11th grade and measures to resolve higher-grade promotion issues.
Following that, the strike was temporarily withdrawn.
The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has already taken the initiative to set the prime demand of the teachers observing the work stoppage -- salary at the 11th grade.
Primary and Mass Education Advisor Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar announced at a media briefing on Nov 18 that the process is under way to upgrade the salaries of government primary school assistant teachers, who currently receive the 13th-grade wage, to the 11th grade.
He said, "We have written to the finance ministry so that assistant teachers who are receiving the 13th grade salary can receive the 11th grade salary. They referred it to the Pay Commission. We have lobbied the Cabinet Division and the advisors to speak in our favour. I myself went to the Pay Commission and tried to convince them."
