Staff Reporter :
Non-government teachers and employees of secondary and higher secondary institutions under the MPO scheme are observing their ninth consecutive day of sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka to press their three-point demand.
The MPO-listed teachers on Monday began a hunger strike since morning and by midday, at least four teachers had fallen ill.
Foyez Ahmed, coordinator of the teachers’ movement, said they started the hunger strike in the morning, and several teachers had already become unwell due to the intense heat.
Mohammad Ali Mondal, a teacher at Akbar Ali Abdul Hai School in Gaibandha, lost consciousness and was taken to Dhaka University Medical Centre around noon. In addition, Delowar Hossain Azizi, the member secretary of the alliance, also fell sick.
The teachers under the banner of MPO-bhukto Shikkha Jatiyakaran Pratyashi Jote, have been continuing sit-in at the Shaheed Minar and abstaining from work across the country for the ninth consecutive day to press home their three-point demand.
Their demands include allocation of 20 per cent of their basic pay for house rent allowance, an increase in medical allowance to Tk 1,500, and raising the festival allowance for employees from the current 50 per cent to 75 per cent.
Several hundred demonstrators joined the sit-in from early morning on Monday, while a group formally began the fast unto death at around 10:00am. A rally was also held on the Central Shaheed Minar premises to emphasise their demands.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) expressed solidarity with the protesters, with joint secretary general Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, along with other party leaders and activists, visiting the Central Shaheed Minar in the morning to show support.
He said, “BNP is committed to ensuring the dignity and welfare of the teachers. We fully realise your contribution and hardships. If BNP come to power through people’s mandate, we will move forward with the nationalisation of teachers,” he said.
About the government’s perks, he said, “Five percent house rent allowance is not enough.”
On October 19, the Finance Division approved allocation of five per cent of basic pay, with a minimum of Tk 2,000, for house rent, which the protesters described as a “primary victory”.
Despite this partial concession, they vowed to continue movement until their demands were fully met.
Since October 13, demonstrators have employed a variety of methods to press their demands, including an indefinite hunger strike from October 17, continuous sit-ins at the Shaheed Minar, and nationwide work abstention.
