Beating teachers not an act of civilised state: Hasnat Abdullah

Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser, South of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has called for an immediate apology from those who attacked teachers staging a sit-in in front of the National Press Club demanding an increase in house rent allowance.

He said, “Beating teachers on the street cannot be the act of a civilised state. No civilised government can do such a thing. They must apologise immediately for this disgraceful act. Those who were arrested must be released before sunset.”

He made these remarks while expressing solidarity with the sit-in programme of MPO-listed teachers at the Central Shaheed Minar around 5pm on Sunday, October 12.

Hasnat Abdullah said teachers in the country live like third- or fourth-class citizens, yet are expected to produce first-class citizens for the nation. “Teachers are role models in society. Their honesty is spoken of, and their examples are shown. Yet they receive a salary of only Tk 12,000 to Tk 15,000 a month,” he said.

He added, “A teacher’s starting salary is Tk 12,500, of which 20 percent comes to only Tk 2,500. Try renting a house in Dhaka or any other city for Tk 2,500. Even in rural areas, it’s impossible. You don’t pay teachers well or provide house rent allowance, but you claim to respect them. Respect without money is humiliation greater than disrespect. Therefore, I urge the authorities to accept the teachers’ demands immediately.”

Among others, NCP Senior Joint Convenor Samanta Sharmin, Joint Member Secretary and Education Secretary Faisal Mahmud Shanto, and Joint Member Secretary Zainal Abedin Shishir also spoke at the sit-in at the Shaheed Minar.