Teachers hold nighttime protest at Shaheed Minar over allowance demands

As part of their “uninterrupted sit-in” demanding house rent allowance at 20 percent of base salary, MPO-registered teachers and staff are holding a nighttime sit-in at the Central Shahid Minar.

In response to police attacks on teachers, they decided to start uninterrupted work stoppages at private MPO-registered schools from Monday, rather than Tuesday, under the banner of the MPO Nationalisation Expectant Alliance.

Addressing the protesters, the alliance’s secretary, Principal Delawar Hossain Azizi, said: “We will stay here 24 hours. Until the government issues notifications granting teachers 20 percent house rent allowance, Tk 1,500 medical allowance, and 75 percent festival bonus for staff, we will remain at Shaheed Minar at all costs, God willing.”

He added that 600,000 MPO-registered teachers and staff across 30,000 schools will take part in full-day continuous strikes on Monday.

“Schools will remain open with two to four teachers present; the rest will gather at the National Press Club.”

Azizi also pledged to secure the release of six teachers reportedly detained by police.

He said, “We will not participate in classes, nor can we lock schools. However, we will ensure our duties are not neglected.”

He promised that if demands are met, teachers would leave Shaheed Minar the same night.

Earlier in the day, teachers began their sit-in before the National Press Club. At 1:30pm, following police instructions, they moved to Shaheed Minar, though some remained in front of the club.

At 1:55pm, police asked them to disperse. The resisting group shouted “Fake! Fake!” Police responded with multiple sound grenades, baton charges, and deployed water cannons to clear the road.

The Parents’ Unity Forum condemned the attacks. Md Ziaul Kabir Dulu, leading the group, said in a statement: “We live in a barbaric society where our respected teachers -- the makers of future citizens -- are beaten openly on the streets and arrested. We demand the immediate release of detained teachers.”

He also urged the government to honour teachers’ demands to avoid disrupting classes ahead of annual school examinations.

On Sept 30, 2025, the government raised house rent for MPO teachers by Tk 500. Teachers rejected this on Oct 5, 2025, calling for protests. On Oct 6, 2025, the Education Ministry proposed raising house rent to Tk 2,000–3,000 via the Finance Division.

MPO teachers receive salaries under the national pay scale, plus Tk 500 medical allowance and previously Tk 1,000 house rent, now increased to Tk 1,500. Festival bonuses, formerly 25 percent twice a year, were increased in May to 50 percent of base salary.