Fourteen individuals, including seven men and seven women, were arrested on Thursday during a protest by assistant teacher appointment seekers at Shahbagh in the city. The protesters, who had been recommended for the position of Assistant Teacher in government primary schools, were demanding the reinstatement of their cancelled appointments.
On Thursday afternoon, Masud Alam, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Romma Zone confirmed the detention, stating that the individuals would be further questioned before legal action is taken.
The detention occurred after a day-long protest that has now entered its eighth consecutive day. Protesters blocked the roads around Science Lab, halting traffic and causing significant disruption in the area. By 2:30pm, the police intervened, using water cannons and batons to disperse the crowd, with the protesters later relocating themselves to the National Museum area.
The demonstration was prompted by the cancellation of appointments for 6,531 teachers from Dhaka and Chittagong divisions, whose recruitment was annulled by the High Court. The teachers have been protesting ever since the February 6 ruling, which followed the court's decision to cancel the appointment letters issued to them. The court's decision also stemmed from concerns over the application of the quota system in the recruitment process.
In the aftermath of the ruling, the teachers have continued to express their dismay, with many wearing burial shrouds to symbolise their despair. Protester Rasheda Begum explained, "This government gave us jobs and then took them away. If we don't get our jobs back, we will die on the streets with our children."
Earlier in the day, protesters had staged a sit-in at Shahbagh, despite the police's repeated calls for them to move. The authorities had no choice but to use water cannons to push the demonstrators off the road, which led to the traffic returning to normal. According to the Officer-in-Charge of Shahbagh Police Station, Mohammad Khaled Monsur, several protesters were taken to the police station for questioning.
The teachers' demands stem from their belief that they were unjustly deprived of their positions despite being recommended based on merit. "We have been protesting for seven days for a legitimate demand. We've been verified and appointed. Why is there no student representative standing by us now?" said one of the teachers.
Despite meetings with officials, including the Primary Education Adviser and Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the protesters vowed to continue their efforts until the court's decision is reversed.
The ongoing saga regarding the third phase of recruitment began with the publication of results on October 31, 2023, after written and oral exams. However, the process faced complications, with a writ petition filed by some deprived candidates leading to the suspension of appointments for six months.
The situation came to a head when, on February 6, the High Court ruled to cancel the appointments of the 6,531 candidates, effectively halting their recruitment. Despite this setback, the protesters remain steadfast in their demands for reinstatement.
