Teachers set ultimatum for nationalisation of Ebtedayee madrasahs

Ebtedayee madrasah teachers demonstratingProthom Alo

The protesting Ebtedayee madrasah teachers have set an ultimatum to press home their demand of nationalising all Ebtedayee madrasahs registered with the Madrasah Board.

They said they would not have any other way than declaring a stricter programme if their demand is not realised within 2:00 pm Tuesday.

Maulana Al Amin, member secretary of movement implementation committee of the Independent Ebetayee Madrasah Teachers Oikya Jote announced their decision in front of Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University Monday afternoon.

The demonstrating madrasah teachers had been holding a sit-in programme there since the morning.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Maulana Al Amin said, “We want a declaration of nationalisation of Ebtedayee Madrasahs. We came here with a six-point, but the police attacked us yesterday at Shahbagh. Now we have only one demand that is nationalisation of Ebtedayee madrasah like the primary schools.”

He further said they were called at the office of the education adviser. However, they did not get any assurance there. They were told that a decision might come by today. They waited till 4:00 pm today, but there has been no response from the ministry.

“We declared new programmes as they did not come up with any declaration. If the declaration of nationalisation of Ebtedayee madrasahs does not come by 2:00 pm on Tuesday, then we will have no other way than declaring tougher programmes,” he said.

At least six including a woman were injured as police charged batons on teachers of Ebtedayee madrasah in Shahbagh Sunday. The teachers were demanding nationalisation of their jobs.

The incident took place this afternoon in front of Shahbagh police station in the capital.

Police also used stun grenades and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators.

The injured persons are Anowar Hossain, 35, Faridul Islam, 30, Aminul, 35, Mizanur Rahman, 35, Bindu Ghosh and Marufa Aktar, 25. They were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

All the injured are teachers of Ebtedayee institutions.

Police sources said Ebetayee Madrasah Teachers Oikya Jote took position in front of National Press Club to press home their six-point demands including nationalisation of independent Ebtedayee madrasahs in line with the recommendation of Institution of Education and Research of Dhaka University.

Later they marched towards the Chief Adviser’s Office to submit a memorandum.

The police used water cannons to disperse the teachers as they reached in front of Shahbagh police station. They also charged batons and fired tear gas shells at the protesters.