Police charge batons on non-MPO teachers

Police have baton-charged non-MPO teachers during a pre-announced programme to besiege the Ministry of Education in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka. At the same time, water cannons and sound grenades were used to disperse the teachers. At least fifty teachers, both men and women, were injured.

The incident took place on Sunday afternoon.

Non-MPO teachers said they have been teaching students without pay for a long time and are living in hardship because of it. Their demand is that all government-recognised educational institutions must be brought under the MPO scheme.

Principal Mohammad Selim Mia, chief coordinator of the United Non-MPO Teachers’ Unity Council, said, “We were observing our programme peacefully since morning, but the police baton-charged us without provocation. I was injured myself. I strongly condemn and protest this attack.” He added that the sit-in programme will continue until the MPO circular is issued.

Bulbul Ahmed, inspector of Shahbagh Police Station, said that when non-MPO teachers attempted to break the barricade and enter the Secretariat to besiege the Education Ministry, the police used water cannons and fired a sound grenade to disperse them. However, he denied that any baton-charge had taken place.

It is to be noted that non-MPO teachers have been staging a sit-in for the past eighteen days demanding MPO inclusion.