Pry teachers’ hunger strike enters day 2

The indefinite hunger strike enforced by the assistant teachers of the state-run primary schools demanding upgrade of their salary scale entered second day today.

Over 1,000 assistant teachers of several primary schools across the country thronged the Central Shaheed Minar on Saturday morning under the banner of the Primary Assistant Teachers Grand Alliance asking the government to fulfill their demand.

The leaders of the alliance urged the government to upgrade the salary scale of the assistant teachers to 11th grade from the 14th that would see the basic salary enhancement from Tk. 9,500 to Tk 12,500.

The agitated teachers argued if the headmasters get salary under the 10th grade, the assistant teachers deserve the 11th grade. The government should reduce the discrimination by accepting the assistant teachers' demand, they pleaded.

Shahinur Al Amin, president of Bangladesh Primary Teachers Society said "Earlier we formed human chains, staged demonstration and held several meetings with the ministers to meet our demand. However, the authorities concerned didn't pay any heed to us, forcing us to go to hard line."

On December 9, the assistant teachers threatened to go on fast-unto-death from December 23 if their jobs were not upgraded to 11th as per the eighth national pay scale by December 22. But their demand was not met by then.