Teachers’ Sit-In Enters Third Day, “March to Secretariat” Scheduled at Noon

 

Teachers protesting for a 20% increase in house rent and higher medical allowance are observing their sit-in for the third consecutive day today. As part of the new schedule, they plan to hold a “March to Secretariat” at noon on Tuesday (October 14). Teachers have stated that the movement will continue until an official notification is issued.

The protest is being carried out under the banner of the “MPO-Listed Education Nationalization Alliance.”

Meanwhile, like-minded teachers and staff across the country are continuing work stoppages at their respective institutions. Speaking at the central Shaheed Minar sit-in on Tuesday morning, the alliance’s member secretary, Principal Delwar Hossain Azizi, said, “This afternoon, we will march to the Secretariat. Until a notification is issued granting teachers and staff a 20% house rent allowance, Tk 1,500 medical allowance, and 75% festival allowance, we will not leave the streets.”

In pursuit of these demands, teachers and staff began continuous sit-ins in front of the National Press Club last Sunday morning. At the police’s request, they later moved to the central Shaheed Minar to continue the protest.

However, a group of teachers maintained their position in front of the Press Club. When police asked them to move to Shaheed Minar, the teachers staged a loud protest.

At one point, police used sound grenades and baton charges to disperse the teachers from the streets in front of the Press Club. Water cannons were also deployed.

In response to the “police assault” on teachers, work stoppages were declared in all private educational institutions starting Monday.

On September 30, the government had announced a Tk 500 increase in house rent allowance for MPO-listed teachers and staff. However, when the announcement was made public on October 5, teachers rejected it and called for protests.

On October 6, the Ministry of Education sent a proposal to the Finance Division to raise the house rent allowance for MPO-listed teachers and staff to at least Tk 2,000 or Tk 3,000. Teachers, however, are demanding that 20% of their basic salary be provided as house rent allowance.

MPO-listed teachers receive salaries according to the national pay scale. Along with their basic salary, they receive Tk 500 per month as medical allowance. Previously, they received Tk 1,000 as house rent allowance, which has now been increased to Tk 1,500.

Previously, MPO-listed teachers were entitled to two festival bonuses per year at a rate of 25% of the basic salary. After an increase in May, they and MPO-listed staff now receive festival bonuses at 50% of the basic salary.