Primary teachers demand nationalisation of jobs

Police intercept a procession of Bangladesh Non-Government Primary Teachers' Association in front of the High Court in the city yesterday while they were proceeding towards the prime minister's office to submit a memorandum.Photo: STAR

Bangladesh Non-Government Primary Teachers' Association yesterday gave an ultimatum to the government to meet their longstanding demand for nationalisation of the jobs of teachers of non-government primary schools.
At a rally at Muktangan in the city, the association leaders announced that they would launch a tougher movement if their demand is not met by June 30.
They also submitted a memorandum to the prime minister's office (PMO) to press home their demand.
"We would announce tougher programmes from a press conference on July 1 if our demand is not met by June 30," said Mansur Ali, secretary general of the association.
He said the teachers have been raising their voice for the demand for the last 20 years. The teachers will receive all facilities as the government teachers after nationalisation of their jobs, he added.
Several thousand teachers from different districts joined the rally at Muktangan where they said no successive governments met their demand despite their assurances.
After the rally, the teachers marched towards PMO to submit the memorandum, which led to a massive traffic congestion on Topkhana road.
The police, however, intercepted the procession in front of the High Court. Later, a delegation of four members submitted the memorandum to the director (administration) of PMO.
At the rally, association president Aminul Islam Chowdhury said, "We will not leave the street unless the government meets our demand."
Association advisers Tofazzal Hossain and Golam Mohammad; senior vice presidents Forkan Ali, Abu Bakkar Siddique and Abdus Sattar; senior joint secretaries general Mohiuddin Khandakar and Emdadul Haque Bablu, among others, also spoke at the rally.