Dhaka, Nov 9 (NationPress) Government primary school educators in Bangladesh staged protests for the second consecutive day at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Sunday to voice their three demands, local media reported.

The President of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association, Abul Kashem, indicated that the teachers, united under the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council, are calling for the resignation of the Advisers to the Ministries of Home Affairs and Primary and Mass Education. This protest was a response to the police action against their demonstration on Saturday, as reported by the United News of Bangladesh.

According to Kashem, teachers are refraining from work at primary schools across the nation to protest police actions. He remarked, “Yesterday (Saturday) we went to Shahbagh for a peaceful march titled ‘Kolom Shomarpon’ (pen submission).”

“Police attacked us there, arresting five of our colleagues and injuring over a hundred. Moreover, the Adviser to the Primary and Mass Education Ministry deemed our demands irrational. Thus, we demand the resignation of both advisers,” he added.

Kasem warned that the protests and work boycotts would persist until the authorities address their demands. Teachers are advocating for the upgrade of assistant teachers to the 10th-grade pay scale, simplifying the process for obtaining higher grades after 10 and 16 years of service, and ensuring 100 percent promotions within the department.

Previously, on Thursday, several teachers and students from Dhaka University protested, advocating for the reinstatement of music and physical education teacher positions in primary education, following the interim government’s recent decision to eliminate these posts in government primary schools. This decision came after criticism from various radical Islamist groups.

“Music and physical education contribute to the holistic development of a child. Music is taught globally because it helps deter crime. Why must we defend our right to music?” expressed Humaira Nawaz, a student from the Department of Music.

Azizur Rahman Tuhin, an Associate Professor in the Department of Music, commented, “Historically, civilizations have thrived through art, culture, and music. The cancellation of these teaching positions is a conspiracy to hinder our children’s mental and physical growth. Who stands to benefit from this?”

Additionally, students and teachers from the Department of Music at Jagannath University formed a human chain at Sculpture Square on campus, calling for the reinstatement of these teaching positions.

This protest follows the release of a revised gazette by Bangladesh's Ministry of Primary and Mass Education on November 2, altering the Government Primary School Teachers Recruitment Rules 2025, which no longer included the previously mentioned teaching positions.