Teachers start ‘fast unto death’ this time

After 21-days of sit-in in front of the National Press Club, demanding nationalisation of secondary education, protesting teachers have started ‘fast unto death’ hunger strike today, Tuesday.

They had already announced beforehand, if the prime minister didn’t come to meet them within 31 July they will start a hunger strike.

At around 11:00am today, some teachers were found in front of Press Club wrapped in funeral shroud (kafan) while most were seen standing here and there. Some of the teachers were delivering speeches while others were recording videos.

At the call of Bangladesh Teachers Association, teachers had started the sit-in programme on 11 July, which has taken the shape of hunger strike today.

Earlier on 19 July, education minister Dipu Moni held a meeting with the protesting teachers and other teachers’ organisations leaders. There the education minister had said that there’s no scope of taking any decisions on this issue (nationalisation) before the next national election.

But it was decided to form two committees for the overall standardisation of education and educators along with exploring the fact whether it’s rational to nationalise education or not. Teachers are continuing their movement saying that the discussion with the education minister hasn’t been fruitful.

While the intermediate and secondary education board organised a workshop about nationalisation with the leaders of different teachers’ organisations in Gazipur last Friday and Saturday, the protesting teacher leaders did not join it.

Protesting teachers are saying that they won’t return home or classrooms until they get to meet the prime minister.