Primary school teachers to launch work abstention from Sunday

Assistant teachers from all government primary schools across the country have declared a full-day strike starting Sunday, pressing a three-point demand that includes upgrading their salary to grade 10. 

They will also continue a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar from Sunday to protest the non-implementation of their demands and a police attack on their demonstration.

The announcement followed a gathering at the Central Shaheed Minar on Saturday afternoon. 

Earlier in the day, police in Dhaka’s Shahbagh area used batons, tear gas, sound grenades, and water cannons to disperse a teachers’ march, injuring over 100 educators.

Teachers claim the police action was unprovoked. 

Dhaka Metropolitan Police countered that officers intervened only after the protesters attempted to advance toward Jamuna—the chief adviser’s residence—despite barricades. 

Police also reported injuries among their members from stones allegedly thrown by teachers.

The three demands are: Salary grade 10 for assistant teachers, 100% departmental promotion and Higher pay scales after 10 and 16 years of service.

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

On April 24, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education upgraded head teachers from grade 11 to 10 and regular teachers from grade 13 to 12. Assistant teachers, however, remain dissatisfied.

The Primary Teachers Demand Implementation Council subsequently scheduled the sit-in and strike to push for full implementation of their charter.