MPO teachers launch nationwide indefinite strike

MPO-listed teachers of non-government educational institutions across the country have launched an indefinite work stoppage to demand a 20% hike in house rent allowance based on basic salary and to protest attacks on teachers’ programmes by police.

The strike began on Monday (October 13) morning, suspending all educational activities, including classes and examinations, in schools, colleges, madrasas, and technical institutions.

It has been confirmed that teachers at least 10 educational institutions in Rajbari, Kushtia, Lalmonirhat, Rajshahi, Chandpur, and Dhaka are participating in the strike.

Shahanara Begum, a lecturer at Kushtia Model School and College, told Jago News on Monday morning that many teachers were unable to attend the sit-in in Dhaka. “Therefore, we are observing a full work stoppage locally. Any programme announced from the Dhaka sit-in will be successfully implemented by us,” she said.

Meanwhile, teachers in Dhaka, who spent the night at the central Shaheed Minar, resumed their sit-in early Monday morning. They said they would continue the programme until further decisions are made.

Delwar Hossain Azizi, Secretary of the MPO-Listed Teachers’ Nationalization Expectant Alliance, told Jago News that teachers spent the night under the open sky at Shaheed Minar, enduring extreme hardship. “After all this, teachers do not want to return empty-handed. Classes will resume only after receiving the official notification,” he said.