Teachers stage sit-in for nationalisation of private secondary schools

Teachers from privately-run secondary schools have occupied both sides of the road outside the National Press Club in Dhaka to demand the nationalisation of those institutions.

The protests, which began on July 11, continued on Tuesday as the teachers vowed not to budge from their stance until their demands are met, reports bdnews24.com.

Bangladesh has more than 20,000 secondary schools, 684 of which are run by the government. The number of teachers in both public and private secondary schools is close to 300,000.

Teachers from different parts of the country have joined the sit-in outside the National Press Club after locking up their classrooms on Saturday. The protests are being carried out under the banner of the Bangladesh Teachers Association.

A make-shift stage has been erected in the area, where leaders of the association have been giving speeches. Many are seeking the prime minister's intervention in the matter.

Bazlur Rahman Mia, president of the group, reiterated that the teachers would continue the sit-in programme until their demands are met, citing the 'discriminatory treatment' of teachers and employees at private secondary schools.

On Monday, traffic was closed on one side of the road outside the National Press Club, before teachers occupied the other side as well. Tensions simmered when police came to the scene and tried to disperse them.

Many protesters on Tuesday stood near the press club instead of the road, fearing a heavy-handed approach from the police following the previous day's standoff, according to Satish Mandal, a teacher from Tungipara.

Some were also seen taking up positions near the Secretariat and the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education.