Pry schoolteachers continue strike for third day

Assistant teachers of the government primary schools have been continuing their hunger strike until death for the third consecutive day demanding 11th grade at the central Shaheed Minar in the capital.

They began hunger strike sitting on the Central Shaheed Minar premises from 10am on Saturday  (December 23) demanding the removal of discrimination in the 8th National Pay Scale for primary teachers.

Two days have been passed  since they started their strike under the open sky. Many of them were seen clad in thin shawls. Some others who did not even have warm clothes, merely wrapped with the protest banners in a bid to keep themselves warm. 

They pledge to continue their movement until their demand is realized. Even they threat not to take part in new book distribution festival scheduled to be held January 1, 2018, Schoolteachers said in response to the query of our reporter.

Around 50 primary school teachers, who were observing a hunger strike unto death in protest of salary discrimination, have been hospitalized as they fell ill, schoolteacher leaders told to our reporter. 

On December 15, the teachers were arranged press conferences in all the districts of the country to press home their one-point demand. They demanded it to fulfil by December 22. But the government did not do it.

In 2015, government increased the salary of assistant teacher from Tk 5,200 to Tk 10,200 as per the 14th grade at 8th national pay scale.