It is unfortunate that our teachers have once again come under police attack. This time, the victims are government primary assistant teachers who have been demanding reforms in their pay and promotion structures.
On Saturday, when they were heading toward Shahbagh as part of their agitation, police used batons, sound grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse them. As a result, over 120 teachers were injured, and some were taken to hospitals. Such heavy-handedness against educators is deeply regrettable.
Subsequently, teachers began an indefinite work abstention from Sunday, leaving nearly 10 million children without classes in more than 65,000 primary schools. This has once again laid bare the chronic neglect of teachers' welfare in Bangladesh's education system.
What began as a peaceful demand for fair pay and promotion rights has now turned into a national crisis. This is not merely a wage dispute. It reflects the government's failure to address long-standing grievances of those who form the backbone of our education system.
For the past few days, thousands of primary assistant teachers have been staging a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, demanding implementation of three key demands, including pay parity under the 10th grade. When their pleas went unheard, they announced indefinite work abstention.
This agitation did not erupt suddenly. For years, teachers have complained of being underpaid and undervalued despite shouldering one of the nation's most vital responsibilities.
Earlier, MPO (monthly pay order)-listed teachers faced the same fate when they were met with tear gas, batons, and water cannons during their sit-in and work abstention programs. They eventually achieved partial success after their protests led to an increase in house rent allowance. It is incomprehensible why the state has to be pushed to the brink of disruption before taking notice of legitimate demands from our teachers.
Teachers are not asking for privileges - they are asking for parity, dignity, and recognition. The demand for 10th-grade pay has been pending for years despite repeated promises from successive administrations. Instead of engaging in constructive dialogue, the authorities have often resorted to delay tactics or force, which only fuels resentment and distrust. Such confrontational approaches not only demoralize teachers but also undermine the government's credibility in its commitment to ensuring quality education for all.
The ongoing crisis must serve as a wake-up call. Education cannot progress when teachers feel neglected and marginalized. The disruption of classes for millions of children will have far-reaching consequences. The pandemic years already robbed students of precious learning time. So, another prolonged closure due to policy failure would be disastrous.
The government must immediately open channels of negotiation and find a suitable solution. Teachers' welfare should not be treated as an afterthought or a burden on the state budget. A transparent pay structure, a fair promotion system and periodic reviews of allowances in line with inflation should be institutionalized to prevent future unrest.
