Teachers and employees of educational institutions that were excluded from the third phase of nationalization of non-MPO (Monthly Pay Order) institutions have started an indefinite sit-in and a symbolic hunger strike in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka.
They are pushing the government to meet their demand for releasing the final gazette notification for nationalization of non-MPO institutions.
Vice-president of central committee of Bangladesh Private Primary School Teachers' Association Md Saleh Uddin said on Sunday that the third phase of nationalization has not been implemented, though it was announced by the prime minister.
“The teachers in the first and second phases of nationalization are getting government facilities, while nothing has been done to implement the third phase, which was supposed to be implemented on January 2014,” he said.
The protestors said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had announced nationalization of 26,193 private primary schools in 2013. According to the prime minister's list, 960 private primary schools were in the third phase.
Earlier in February 19 of 2015, 533 schools were nationalized through a notification and were brought under government control in January 1, 2014 under Section 3 (1) of the Primary School Acquisition Act, 1974.
Later, on February 22, 2017, a government order (GO) was issued for 519 out of 533 primary schools. On March 23, 2017, a draft gazette for nationalization was published.
Most of these teachers have been working without pay since January 1, 2014, since a final gazette notification was not published.This article was first published on Bangla Tribune
Saturday, March 15, 2025
