Dhaka, Oct 20 (V7N) — Teachers of private educational institutions under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme have continued their hunger strike for the ninth consecutive day, demanding a 20 percent house rent allowance, among other issues. The protest is taking place at the Central Shaheed Minar on Monday (October 20).

Teachers participating in the movement said they will continue their hunger strike until their demands are met, and warned that their agitation could evolve into a movement for nationalization of all MPO institutions if the government continues to ignore them.

The BNP expressed solidarity with the teachers’ protest. In the morning, a delegation led by Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie visited the Shaheed Minar and voiced support for the teachers’ demands. Annie said, “BNP agrees with the demand for nationalization of educational institutions. If our party comes to power, no teacher will have to take to the streets for their just demands.”

Earlier, on September 30, the government had announced a Tk 500 increase in house rent. However, after the decision was made public on October 5, teachers and employees rejected the offer, terming it insufficient, and called for a continuous protest. The Ministry of Education later sent a proposal to the Finance Department recommending an increase in the rent allowance to at least Tk 2,000 or Tk 3,000.

On Sunday afternoon (October 19), the teachers’ ‘hunger march’ was interrupted around 3:30 p.m. when they attempted to march from Shaheed Minar towards Shiksha Bhaban. Police and BGB stopped them at the High Court’s Mazar Gate. Around 4:45 p.m., the protesters returned to Shaheed Minar and resumed their sit-in program.

At a rally held in the evening, Delwar Hossain Azizi, member secretary of the MPO-Affiliated Education Nationalization Aspiring Alliance, announced a hunger strike unto death, saying the movement will continue until their three-point demand is fulfilled.

END/SMA/AJ