MPO-listed teachers of non-government educational institutions have launched a continuous sit-in in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, demanding 20% of their basic salary as house rent allowance and an increase in medical allowances. The programme officially began on Sunday (October 12) at 10:00 am, with a large number of teachers from across the country participating.
The sit-in is being organised by the MPO-listed Teachers’ Nationalization Alliance. The teachers have announced that they will continue the programme until their demands are met.
Teachers began gathering in front of the Press Club from early morning, causing traffic disruption on the road from Paltan to the Kadam Fountain, in front of the High Court.
Sources said that several leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) will also join the teachers in the programme. Among them are Hasnath Abdullah, the party’s chief organizer for the southern region, senior joint convener Samantha Sharmin, and joint secretary and education affairs secretary Faisal Mahmud Shanto.
Earlier, on August 13, thousands of teachers and staff from MPO-listed institutions had participated in a teachers’ gathering at the National Press Club, organized by the MPO-listed Education Nationalization Expectant Alliance. On that day, the education adviser had promised teachers a 20% of basic salary as house rent allowance, a 1,500-taka medical allowance, and a 75% increase in festival allowance.
However, two months have passed without fulfillment of these promises, leaving teachers frustrated. Matters escalated when the Ministry of Finance issued a notification on October 5, coinciding with Teachers’ Day, granting only a 500-taka house rent increase, which further angered the teachers.