4 Lakh Teachers on Strike Demanding 11th Grade Salary

Assistant teachers at government primary schools across Bangladesh have begun a nationwide one-hour work abstention starting Monday (May 5), demanding to be paid at the 11th grade level.

Previously, these teachers had been advocating for a 10th-grade salary, but they now insist on a minimum of 11th-grade pay. They are also calling for the resolution of issues related to promotions, particularly the complications surrounding grade advancements after 10 and 16 years of service. Additionally, they are demanding 100% promotion to head teacher positions with faster processes.

With the government's failure to meet their demands by the May 4 deadline, the teachers have announced a series of escalating strikes. The current one-hour strike will run from May 5 to 15, followed by two-hour strikes from May 16 to 20, and half-day strikes from May 21 to 25.

Oikya Parishad leader Mohammad Shamsuddin Masud stated that if their three main demands are not met by the end of this period, they will escalate to a full-day strike.

He further emphasized, "The government has not even engaged with us, which has forced us to take this step."