Firm on 10th-Grade Demand! Primary Assistant Teachers to Begin Continuous Sit-in at Central Shaheed Minar from Saturday

Staff Reporter | PNN

Assistant teachers of government primary schools have announced a continuous sit-in program demanding three major demands, including salary under the 10th grade. The program, starting Saturday (November 8) at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, is organized by the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council, formed by four teachers’ organizations. Newly appointed teachers will also participate.

The three demands are:

1. Ensure salary under the 10th grade.

2. Resolve the higher-grade issue upon completion of 10 and 16 years of service.

3. Ensure 100% departmental promotion.

The organizations under the Demand Implementation Council include:

• Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Kashem-Shahin)

• Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association

• Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Shahin-Lipi)

• Assistant Teachers 10th Grade Implementation Council
  …among other primary teachers’ organizations.

Khairun Nahar Lipi, General Secretary of Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Shahin-Lipi), said: “Around 20,000 teachers will participate at Shaheed Minar on Saturday. The sit-in will continue until our demands are met. We do not want to negotiate with the administration because repeated discussions have yielded no results. This time, we will pursue our demands on the streets.”

Currently, 384,000 teachers are working in 65,567 government primary schools across the country. Although the Ministry of Mass Education issued an order on April 24 to increase the salaries of head teachers, assistant teachers remain dissatisfied.

Talukdar Piyas, a leader of newly appointed teachers, said: “The primary level forms the foundation of the nation’s education. Those shaping the country’s future citizens deserve proper recognition and a fair salary structure. A 10th-grade salary is a reasonable and just demand to keep up with the times.”

Meanwhile, the Primary Assistant Teachers’ Organization Unity Council has given the government a deadline of November 15. If demands are not met, they have announced:

• Partial-day strikes on November 23 and 24,

• Full-day strikes on November 25 and 26,

• Sit-ins in front of the Directorate of Primary Education on November 27.

If the demands are still unmet, they are preparing to begin an indefinite hunger strike starting December 11.