Teachers of government primary schools gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Friday to demand an upgrade to the 10th-grade pay structure.
Under the banner of "General Primary School Teachers," they held a rally at 11:30am with teachers from various districts assembling at the venue from 9am.
The teachers warned that their movement would intensify if their demands were not met.
Bijoy Karmakar, a teacher from Jhaukhali Government Primary School in Monoharganj, Comilla, said: "Since 2021, primary school teachers have been demanding a 10th-grade pay structure, but no one has provided any assurance. In August, an interim government committee was formed... but we have learned that the matter has been sidelined."
Criticizing the administration's actions, he added: "Instead of focusing on the 10th-grade issue, they are working on unrelated matters like creating posts for assistant headteachers and senior teachers. We do not want these. We want the 10th-grade pay scale."
Highlighting discrepancies, he further said: "The salary of a driver under the Department of Agricultural Extension is in the 12th grade, while teachers are placed in the 13th grade. This is unacceptable."
"We are being referred to as graduate second grade, yet the current pay structure is an insult to teachers."
