Teachers vow to continue movement with a hunger strike
Staff Reporter :
Teachers of non-government secondary educational institutions are going to start their indefinite hunger strike from today (Tuesday) if they don’t get a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
They said that they have been staying in the streets for three weeks, but still the government has not responded to their demands for the nationalisation of the non-government educational institutions.
The entire area surrounding the Jatiya Press Club was full of these teachers who were chanting slogans to realise their demand. They began their day with the recitation of the National Anthem on Monday.
Due to their sit-in programme the street in front of the Jatiya Press Club was blocked as the
teachers were sitting and standing on the streets surrounded by the law enforcers.
The teachers said if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does not acknowledge their demand by Monday, they will begin a hunger strike wearing shrouds from Tuesday.
Teachers from various districts joined in, holding banners and chanting slogans.
Badrul Alam, a teacher from Kumarkhali in Kushtia, said, “If the Prime Minister does not call us today (Monday), then from tomorrow (Tuesday), we will position ourselves in front of the Press Club wearing shrouds.”
“We have been sitting here for the last 20 days. Isn’t there any government in the country? Who is not seeing the plight of teachers? How will we survive with a meager salary of BDT 12,000? We want a quick resolution to our salary disparity through nationalisation,” said Alpana Banu, who came from Sherpur in Bogura.
President of Bangladesh Teachers’ Association, Bajlur Rahman Mia, said, “We hope to receive good news from the Prime Minister today. Nevertheless, if she does not call us, then the teachers will begin a hunger strike from Tuesday.”
The teachers said that they are giving their full efforts for the students, but they are deprived of many facilities which are enjoyed by the government teachers.
They said the overall educational progress cannot be realised by depriving the overwhelming majority of the non-government teachers.
