In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the Shahbagh intersection turned into a clash site on Wednesday afternoon. Teachers from non‑government schools that fall under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme made their protest the city’s fourth straight day of action.
The protestors block‑aded the main crossroads, turning the traffic into a snarled grid. Their demands were clear: a 20 % boost to the house rent allowance, a medical benefit of ₹1,500, and a 75 % festival bonus for all staff.
Since Sunday, the crew, organised under the MPO Education Nationalisation Alliance, has staged a sit‑in at the Central Shaheed Minar. The initiative was sparked when the interim government’s finance division approved raising the rent allowance from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 on September 30.
During a rally at the Shaheed Minar, Alliance member‑secretary Delwar Hossain Azizi urged the authorities to honour every demand. “The 20 % rent allowance must stay intact. We will not accept ₹1,499 as a medical allowance – it has to be ₹1,500. The festival pay must be 75 %,” Azizi said. He also condemned reports that teachers had been beaten near the Press Club and demanded a formal gazette notice.
Teachers meanwhile continued to keep their protests in place. “We will stay at Shahbagh until our demands are met,” teacher Jahirul Islam of Rangamati High School told reporters.
The following night, the protestors attempted to march from Shaheed Minar to the Secretariat, but police blocked them near the High Court’s Mazar Gate. After the check‑point, they returned to the Minar and posted overnight in a makeshift stand.
Claims of harassment rose. “The education adviser forced the staff to spend the night outside the Shaheed Minar. We were beaten and sprained. We will not attend any meeting with the current education adviser,” the teachers said in statements quoted by Dhaka Tribune.
The unrest comes amid a broader context of protests and lawlessness that has shaken Bangladesh since the Awami League government, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was toppled last year. Critics say the long‑standing grievances of MPO teachers – who are often employed by smaller, private schools – highlight the need for clear, fair policy enforcement.
Source: ianslive
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