Teachers' Strike at the Press Club Even on Eid Day!
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Teachers of independent Ebtedayi madrasas, registered by the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board and verified under the 2025 guidelines, are continuing their sit-in strike even on the day of Eid, demanding the swift implementation of Monthly Pay Order (MPO) benefits.
On Thursday (May 28), they sustained this program under the banner of the Grant-Funded Independent Ebtedayi Madrasah Teachers' Welfare Association in front of the National Press Club in the capital. At the same time, they demanded the release of salaries starting from January this year for the finally approved teachers.
Nasimul, a teacher participating in the sit-in at the Press Club, said a delegation from their group had gone to Zia Uddan, where they would attempt to meet with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Teacher leaders noted that the sit-in strike, which began on May 21, has been continuing through Eid day. They said teachers are facing extreme financial crises because the MPO enlistment process has been stalled for a long time.
The protestors alleged that although the MPO application process was completed last July in accordance with the 2025 guidelines and the public notice issued by the Technical and Madrasah Education Division of the Ministry of Education, not a single independent Ebtedayi madrasah has been included under the MPO in nearly 10 months.
Abdul Gani, a teacher participating in the strike at the Press Club, shared that around 1,690 teachers have been living under inhumane conditions for a long time without salaries and allowances. They also highlighted that despite having final approval, they have received no salaries from January to May.
It is known that while there were prior initiatives such as approving the primary level of Alia madrasas, recognizing independent Ebtedayi madrasas, and introducing allowances and stipends, these institutions have still not been nationalized or brought under the MPO system. Consequently, teachers remain deprived of job security and financial benefits.
The teachers claimed that frustration has grown among them as the nationalization process remains unimplemented even after the interim government's announcement. They vowed to continue their continuous sit-in program in front of the National Press Club until their demands are met.
They argued that although the government nationalized 26,019 registered primary schools in 2013, not a single independent Ebtedayi madrasah was nationalized or brought under the MPO system. As a result, teachers of these institutions have been deprived of job security and financial benefits for a long time.
Under the 1978 Ordinance, approval was granted to the primary level of Alia madrasa education, and in 1984, the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board recognized independent Ebtedayi madrasas. Later, in 1994, the provision of allowances for teachers of these madrasas began, and in 2001, free textbooks and stipends were introduced for the students.
