Protesters vacate Shahbagh, traffic resumes

After hours of clashes with police, including baton charges, sound grenades, water cannons, and tear gas, protesters demanding primary assistant teacher appointments have vacated Shahbagh intersection, allowing traffic to resume. 

However, long queues and heavy congestion persist on surrounding roads.

On Monday (February 10) at 4:45 PM, the demonstrators, primarily third-phase recommended assistant teachers of government primary schools, moved to the roadside after being forcibly removed from the main intersection.

Around 1:20pm, protesters, including NTRCA-registered teachers (1st-12th batches), blocked Shahbagh intersection, demanding the confirmation of their appointments.

Police initially dispersed the demonstrators around 1:5pm, but they regrouped shortly after.

Later, police fired multiple rounds of tear gas shells.

At 4:00pm, protesters again blocked the road from Shahbagh to Science Lab, prompting further police intervention and they used force to remove the protesters, leading to scuffles, particularly with female demonstrators.

Protesters finally vacated the intersection around 4:45pm.

NTRCA candidates claim they were discriminated against in the teacher appointment cycle (1st-5th public notice) due to systemic corruption. Their key demands include:

Separating the database of registered teachers (1st-12th batches), considering entry-level age criteria.

Immediate implementation of commitments made by APS Sabbir Ahmed on behalf of the Chief Adviser on October 17 and December 23.

Resolving bureaucratic delays and ensuring fair appointments without further complications.

Despite vacating the roads, protesters remain determined to press for their demands, with further demonstrations possible in the coming days.