Monthly pay order (MPO)-registered teachers from private educational institutions have ended their blockade at Shahbagh and returned to the Central Shaheed Minar to continue their sit-in, from where they plan to announce their next course of action.
The teachers, led by Delwar Hossain Azizi, member secretary of the MPO-Listed Education Nationalisation Expectation Alliance, began leaving Shahbagh for the Shaheed Minar around 4:45pm on Wednesday.
Md Jahangir Alam, one of the participating teachers, said: “We have ended the blockade at Shahbagh and returned to Shaheed Minar. The sit-in will continue there, and our leaders will decide on tomorrow’s (Thursday) program. A march to the Jamuna (CA's residence) may take place, but no final decision has been made yet.”
Earlier in the day, around 2pm, the teachers staged a sit-in and blocked traffic at Shahbagh. Meanwhile, MPO-listed teachers across the country have continued their work abstention.
Teachers said they are demonstrating to demand a 20% increase in house rent allowance, Tk 1,500 in medical allowance, and 75% festival allowance for staff members. While the central sit-in continues in Dhaka, teachers at institutions nationwide are observing the work stoppage in solidarity.
Earlier, on Sunday, teachers were subjected to police action while staging a sit-in in front of the National Press Club. Their protest site was then shifted to the Shaheed Minar.
On Tuesday afternoon, they began a “March to Secretariat” program, but police stopped them at the High Court Mazar Gate, where they spent the night before returning to the Shaheed Minar in the morning and later moving to Shahbagh for the blockade.
Teachers said they will continue their sit-in and work abstention until their demands are met, including official notification of a 20% house rent allowance, Tk1,500 medical allowance, and 75% festival allowance for staff members.