Protests Erupt in Bangladesh as Primary School Teachers Face Police Violence

In Bangladesh, police clashed with primary school teachers protesting against the government’s failure to nationalize schools, resulting in injuries. Demonstrators expressed their discontent with authorities, highlighting systemic issues in education. Separate protests by special education teachers further illustrated the challenges faced in meeting educational needs across the nation.

On Wednesday in Dhaka, Bangladesh, police clashed with private primary school teachers protesting the government’s refusal to nationalize their schools. The demonstration, organized by the Bangladesh Non-government Primary Teachers Association, resulted in injuries to at least six individuals, including two women. Teachers were subjected to water cannons and baton charges as they progressed towards the residence of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to assert their demands.

Teacher Shahinur Rahman expressed frustration over the police actions, stating that their march aimed at conveying legitimate requests to the government. Liakat Ali, another teacher, emphasized that the protests were unnecessary had the government taken appropriate measures to address their concerns about educational policies.

General Secretary of the association, Firoz Uddin, pointed out that political discrimination has hindered the nationalization of numerous private schools, resulting in nearly 800,000 students being deprived of their rights to education. In a related incident, police also intervened against protesting teachers from special schools for disabled students, who were advocating for various educational provisions and infrastructure improvements for their schools.

The protests highlight the current government’s inability to effectively manage educational needs in the country, as evidenced by recent reports that millions of students have not received textbooks for the academic year. There is growing unrest surrounding the administration’s approach to critical issues in the education sector.

The protests by private primary school teachers in Bangladesh reflect significant discontent concerning the government’s educational policies, particularly regarding the nationalization of schools. Additionally, the treatment received by those advocating for special education reveals broader systemic issues. With widespread reports of inadequate resource distribution, the current administration’s handling of educational concerns is increasingly being called into question.

Original Source: www.thehansindia.com