Primary teacher recruits stage sit-in over delayed appointment

Candidates recommended for recruitment as assistant teachers in government primary schools staged a sit-in protest at Shahbag in the capital on Sunday (August 2), demanding immediate appointments and school postings despite the government's announcement that they will join service in October.

The demonstrators gathered in front of the National Museum around 11:00am before occupying part of the roadway, temporarily disrupting traffic in the area.

Police later diverted vehicles to the opposite side of the road to ease congestion.

The protesters said they would continue their demonstration until the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education issues an official notification specifying the date of appointment and school postings.

"We had demanded that joining be completed by July 29, but that did not happen," protest leader Debabrata Sarkar told reporters. "We will continue our movement until a written government order clearly states when we will join and where we will be posted."

He said many of the candidates had received their final recommendation for appointment nearly six months ago and had since resigned from previous jobs in anticipation of joining government service.

"As a result, many are now unemployed and facing financial and social hardship," he added.

Earlier on Sunday, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education announced that 14,384 recommended candidates would officially join their respective district primary education offices on Oct. 1.

The announcement revised an earlier decision that had set the joining date for Oct. 29, but the protesters rejected the new timeline, insisting that appointments should be completed within August.

The recruitment process began in late 2025 through two separate circulars covering government primary schools in 61 districts. More than 830,000 candidates sat for the written examination for 14,385 assistant teacher positions.

Following written and oral examinations, 14,384 candidates were recommended for final appointment.

After a change in government, however, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education raised questions over the recruitment process and, on May 10, ordered police verification of the recommended candidates before appointments could proceed.