Staff Reporter :
The teachers of Ebtedayee madrasah on Tuesday started an indefinite hunger strike demanding nationalisation of all the registered Ebtedayee madrasa under Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board.
Before them, the non-MPO schools, colleges and madrasa teachers observed hunger strike unto death for six days.
Bangladesh Independent Ebtedayee Madrassa Teachers’ Association (BIEMTA) began the strike after concluding their nine-day sit-in programme in front of the National Press Club.
The BIEMTA submitted two memorandums separately to the Education Ministry and Finance Ministry to fulfil their demands, including nationalisation of madrasa.
Kazi Mokhlesur Rahman, Secretary General of BIEMTA said, they will continue their hunger strike until the announcement is made from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman that the Ebtedayee madrasa will be nationalised.
He alleged that the Ebtedayee madrasa teachers are being deprived of proper pay and allowances despite working as much as government primary school teachers.
An agitating female teacher wishing anonymity told this correspondent that the teachers had been rendering services to build a skilled future generation for long.
“We do not get any honourium or salary. We are passing our life through critical juncture. Our life will be more miserable if the government doesn’t meet our demand,” she said.
The teachers had been on a sit-in programme as part of their ultimatum since January 1.
Meanwhile, 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 would be met.
The teachers of Ebtedayee madrasah on Tuesday started an indefinite hunger strike demanding nationalisation of all the registered Ebtedayee madrasa under Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board.
Before them, the non-MPO schools, colleges and madrasa teachers observed hunger strike unto death for six days.
Bangladesh Independent Ebtedayee Madrassa Teachers’ Association (BIEMTA) began the strike after concluding their nine-day sit-in programme in front of the National Press Club.
The BIEMTA submitted two memorandums separately to the Education Ministry and Finance Ministry to fulfil their demands, including nationalisation of madrasa.
Kazi Mokhlesur Rahman, Secretary General of BIEMTA said, they will continue their hunger strike until the announcement is made from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman that the Ebtedayee madrasa will be nationalised.
He alleged that the Ebtedayee madrasa teachers are being deprived of proper pay and allowances despite working as much as government primary school teachers.
An agitating female teacher wishing anonymity told this correspondent that the teachers had been rendering services to build a skilled future generation for long.
“We do not get any honourium or salary. We are passing our life through critical juncture. Our life will be more miserable if the government doesn’t meet our demand,” she said.
The teachers had been on a sit-in programme as part of their ultimatum since January 1.
Meanwhile, 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 would be met.
