Tension flared suddenly in front of the National Press Club on Sunday as police intercepted the 17th batch of registered teachers marching towards the Secretariat and fired sound grenades to disperse them.
The escalation disrupted the previously peaceful demonstration, creating panic in the area and prompting a swift response from law enforcement to restore order.
The incident occurred at Gate No 5 of the Secretariat, adjacent to the National Press Club.
When the demonstrators were asked by the police to vacate the area, they refused to comply.
Subsequently, law enforcement personnel used six sound grenades to disperse the crowd.
Earlier in the morning, the teachers had observed a "Long march to Secretariat" program.
Around 1:30pm, they began moving towards the Secretariat.
Razzakul Haidar, one of the protestors, said: “We had been peacefully demonstrating in front of the Press Club since morning. As we reached the Secretariat, police started charging us with batons and fired sound grenades.
“Around 20–25 of us were injured, some seriously. Several are now receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College, including a woman.”
Another protest leader, Aminul Islam, said: “Our demand is to allow the 739 registered candidates to apply through the sixth mass circular or a special circular. Due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us have crossed the age limit of 35, which is not our fault.
“We will continue protesting until our demands are met. If needed, we will march to the Secretariat again.”
According to the candidates, it took five years for the final results of the 17th teacher registration exam to be published. Because of this delay, many have exceeded the age limit for applying.
They believe that NTRCA should offer a special opportunity to apply on humanitarian grounds.
Their key demands include: issuing a special circular in accordance with the Appellate Division’s verdict to allow candidates of the 17th batch to apply at least once, suspending the process of the sixth public recruitment circular until the issue of the 17th batch is resolved and making a final decision promptly in line with the recommendations of the Ministry of Law and the NTRCA.
At the time of reporting, the demonstrators remained at the Press Club intersection.
Additional police forces were deployed in the area, which remained tense.
Speaking to reporters, Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Division under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Masud Alam, said: “As far as we know, five to six people have been injured. Sound grenades were used to disperse the protesters. The demonstration began in front of the Press Club in the morning and around 1:30pm they suddenly moved towards the Secretariat.
"I got to know that they were candidates who passed the 17th Non-Government Teachers’ Registration Examination.”
He added: “I had sent a five-member delegation to the Secretariat to meet with the relevant departments and obtain updates on their issues. However, the demonstrators later claimed that they would not leave the area until a solution was reached and that there was no alternative to their demands.”
Later, the demonstrators moved to the Link Road, where a police barricade was already in place.
Referring to this, the police official said: "When they attempted to break the barricade, police initially tried to prevent them and requested that they retreat. But they became increasingly unruly.”
Masud Alam further said: “We cannot allow them to enter the Secretariat. Section 144 is in effect there. To bring the situation under control, we had to use one or two rounds of sound grenades. A few of our officers sustained minor injuries as well.”
Meanwhile, since the morning, another group of candidates from the 1st to 12th registration batches were also holding a separate demonstration in front of the Press Club.
Nasrin Sultana, general secretary of that protest group, said they had been peacefully demonstrating since morning and also staged a sit-in near the Secretariat around 1pm.
However, when the 17th batch broke through the barricades, police started baton-charging and firing sound grenades.
“I was standing nearby when a police officer struck my leg with a baton. I am a woman, a mother. How can they assault a mother like this? I demand justice,” she said.
She added: “We have been protesting for nearly four years for our recruitment. The 1st to 12th batch candidates were only allowed to apply in two mass circulars, but were never recruited. In the third mass circular, thousands were allowed to apply, only to be left with nothing.
“NTRCA earned Tk203 crore, but only 22,000 candidates were appointed.”
Their demands include relaxing the age and certificate validity restrictions and publishing a special mass circular. Their sit-in and long march are based on these demands.
This program will continue on Monday as well.
