New teachers’ faction joins ongoing work stoppage protests over grading, promotion

A leader of the movement says the work stoppage scheduled for Nov 30 has been revised

A second faction of government primary school assistant teachers has announced a fresh “non-stop work stoppage” from Thursday, as another group remains on strike.

The protests are being held over unresolved demands involving higher paygrades and promotions.

Followers of the Primary Teachers’ Demands Implementation Council made the fresh announcement on Wednesday night.

Earlier, the group had been demonstrating over three demands, including salary under grade 10. The protests concluded with authorities assuring them of grade 11 salaries.

Council Convenor Mohammad Shamsuddin Masud said, “As the finance ministry has not issued the grade 11 gazette or shown the expected progress on the other two demands, the previously announced indefinite work stoppage from Nov 30 has been revised.”

He added, “The stoppage will continue full-day until all three demands, including grade 11 inclusion, are fulfilled according to the ministry’s commitment.”

Another 12 organisations under the Primary Assistant Teachers’ Organisations Unity Council have been observing a three-day full-day stoppage since Tuesday over the same issues.

Shaheenur Al Amin, president of the Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers’ Society, said the full-day stoppage would continue until Thursday, noting that teachers had given the government until Nov 15 to resolve the issues.

“We observed half-day stoppages on Sunday and Monday. From the 11th of December, we will begin a sit-in in front of the Directorate of Primary Education,” he said.

Teachers launched a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar on Nov 8. Police dispersed their attempted march towards Shahbagh using sound grenades, water cannon, baton charges, and tear gas, injuring several. In protest, teachers began a work stoppage the following day.

On Nov 10, after talks with the finance and primary and mass education ministries, protesting teachers temporarily withdrew their programme, citing assurances on grade 11 and the resolution of higher-grade and promotion complexities.