Police dispersed MPO-listed teachers and staff who were staging a sit-in in front of Bangladesh’s National Press Club, demanding a government order to increase house rent, medical, and festival allowances.
At around 1:50 p.m. on Sunday, police baton-charged the protesters and later used water cannons. Tear gas shells and sound grenades were also fired at the scene.
After the teachers were dispersed by the water cannons and sound grenades, police launched another operation, again using batons. However, the teachers repeatedly returned to the streets, resumed their sit-in, and continued chanting slogans.
Earlier in the day, the protesters had announced that they would move their demonstration from the Press Club area to the Central Shaheed Minar.
At around 10 a.m. on Sunday (October 12), the teachers and employees began their sit-in in front of the Press Club, blocking traffic and causing severe suffering to commuters.
Delwar Hossain Azizi, member secretary of the Nationalization-Seeking Alliance of MPO-Listed Private Teachers and Employees, said that although the government had repeatedly promised to fulfill their demands, no official notification had yet been issued.
The alliance gave the government a deadline until evening to issue the order. If their demands are not met, the teachers said they would continue their sit-in overnight and warned of an indefinite protest.
In addition, the alliance announced a nationwide work stoppage in all educational institutions starting Tuesday.
