Hunger Strike: 18 more madrasa teachers fall sick

Eighteen more teachers of Ebtedayee madrasa fell sick on the fourth day of their ongoing indefinite hunger strike in front of the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka today.

With the fresh ones, more than 100 teachers had become sick during the hunger strike programme, Bangladesh Independent Ebtedayee Madrasa Teachers' Association President Kazi Ruhul Amin Chowdhury told UNB.

Of the sick, seven were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ebtedayee madrasa teachers began their indefinite hunger strike demanding nationalisation of all the registered Ebtedayee madrasas under Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board.

Concluding their nine-day sit-in programme under the banner of 'Bangladesh Independent Ebtedayee Madrasa Teachers' Association' in front of the Jatiya Press Club, the teachers started the hunger strike on that day as their demand went unheeded.

Ruhul Amin Chowdhury said they will continue their hunger strike until the government meets their demand. He said though different socio-political leaders expressed their solidarity with their justifiable demands, no one from the government visited them yet.

He also said the government increased the salaries and allowances of the primary school teachers but they are deprived of it. "The government should ensure our pay parity with the primary school teachers.

Ruhul Amin Chowdhury said around 2,000 teachers had joined the protest programme and they are determined to continue it until the government declares to meet their demand.

Earlier on Monday, the Ebtedayee teachers submitted separate memoranda to the Education Ministry and Finance Ministry to realise their demands, including nationalisation of madrasas, said Kazi Mokhlesur Rahman, secretary general of the association.

The teachers had been on a sit-in programme as part of their ultimatum since January 1.

The assistant teachers of state-run primary schools earlier on December 22 went on an indefinite hunger strike demanding upgradation of their salary scale.

Four days later, on December 25, they ended the strike upon assurance from Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman that their demand will be met.

Later, teachers of non-MPO educational institutions also went on a hunger strike demanding that their institutions be brought under monthly pay order facilities.