Government primary school teachers across the country staged a protest at Dhaka's central Shaheed Minar on Friday demanding the implementation of the 10th grade pay scale for assistant teachers.
The demonstration began at 10 am, with teachers arriving in large numbers. They contend that their current classification as third-class employees is unjust and demeaning to the teaching profession.
As the day progressed, the protesting teachers issued an ultimatum to the government, warning that they would escalate their movement if their demands were not addressed by 2 pm. The teachers marched towards Shahbagh around 3:30pm, where they encountered a police barricade near the Shahbagh Police Station. Undeterred, they continued their protest at the barricade.
“We are paid as third-class employees, which we cannot accept as teachers. The 10th grade is our life’s demand,” one of the protestors declared during the demonstration.
Farhad Hossain, a teacher from Baruihati Government Primary School in Sunamganj, echoed these sentiments, saying, “We are part of the teaching community; why should we be in the third class? It is not possible to build a country by keeping teachers in the third class.”
As of the time of reporting, no official response has been made by government representatives regarding the teachers' demands. The situation at Shahbagh remains tense, with teachers vowing to continue their movement until their voices are heard.
MSH
