Primary teachers announce nationwide work stoppage from Sunday

Government primary school teachers have announced a work stoppage from Sunday after a police crackdown on protesters demanding 10th-grade pay.

Mohammad Abul Kashem, president of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Kashem-Shahin), announced a continuous sit-in and work stoppage at the Central Shaheed Minar on Saturday evening.

Calling on all primary school teachers nationwide to “express solidarity”, he said the demonstrations will continue until their demands are met and those who have been arrested are released.

The announcement follows Saturday afternoon’s police action against a march of assistant teachers demanding 10th-grade pay and two other demands.

Police deployed stun grenades and water cannons, preventing teachers from carrying out the pre-announced “pen surrender” at Shahbagh.

Mashud added: “Over a hundred teachers were injured in the police action. Five have been arrested. NCP leaders are going to Shahbagh Police Station to secure their release.”

The teachers’ three-point demand includes: implementation of 10th-grade pay, resolution of promotion complications at 10- and 16-year service marks, 100 per cent assurance of divisional promotions.

Teachers began continuous sit-in programmes at Shaheed Minar on Saturday morning.

Around 3:30pm, they marched toward Shahbagh but were blocked near Shahbagh Police Station at 4pm, forcing them to return to Shaheed Minar.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), however, said no arrests occurred.

DMP’s Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Talebur Rahman said at 5pm: “Some protesters gathered in front of Shahbagh Police Station under the pretext of pen surrender. Around 4pm, a group tried to break police barricades and advance toward the State Guest House Jamuna.

 “Police intervention led to brick-throwing by protesters. Several police personnel were injured. Police then used multiple rounds of sound grenades and water cannons to disperse them.”

The DMP statement added that all gatherings, marches, and assemblies were prohibited near the chief advisor’s residence and adjoining areas, but protesters attempted to move forward. Police dispersed them to protect public safety and secure critical state facilities.

The work stoppage is being conducted under the banner of the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council, a coalition of four teacher organisations: Primary Teachers’ 10th Grade Implementation Council, Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Kashem-Shahin), Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association and Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Shahin-Lipi).

According to the Directorate of Primary Education, Bangladesh has 65,567 government primary schools, employing 384,000 teachers.

Earlier, on Apr 24, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education upgraded head teachers’ pay from 11th to 10th grade and teachers with 13th-grade pay to 12th grade, but assistant teachers remain dissatisfied.

Separately, assistant teachers under the Primary Assistant Teachers’ Unity Council issued a Nov 15 deadline for government action on 11th-grade pay, promotion complications, and 100 percent divisional promotion. They warned of protests if their demands are not met, scheduled as:

Nov 23–24: half-day strikes

Nov 25–26: full-day strikes

Nov 27: sit-ins at the Directorate of Primary Education

They also threatened exam boycotts and an indefinite hunger strike from Dec 11 if no visible progress or official announcements are made.