MPO teachers continue nationwide strike, stage sit-in at Shaheed Minar

MPO-listed private school and college teachers across Bangladesh have begun an indefinite strike, halting classes and examinations in protest against rising house rent and attacks on teacher leaders during demonstrations.

The strike began on Monday, October 13, with reports confirming participation from at least ten educational institutions in districts including Rajbari, Kushtia, Lalmonirhat, Rajshahi, Chandpur and Dhaka.

Shahanara Begum, a lecturer at Kushtia Model School and College, said many teachers were unable to travel to Dhaka for the sit-in, so they were observing a full work stoppage at their respective institutions.
“If new programmes are announced from Dhaka, we’ll join them accordingly,” she added.

Meanwhile, teachers staging a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka since Sunday night continued their protest on Monday morning. They said they would remain there until further notice.

Delowar Hossain Azizi, member secretary of the MPO Teachers’ Nationalisation Alliance, said, “Despite immense suffering, teachers are continuing their protest under the open sky. They will not return home empty-handed this time — classes will only resume once the government issues the nationalisation order.”