Police Use Water Cannon and Sound Grenades on Private Primary School Teachers

Police deployed water cannons and sound grenades to disperse private primary school teachers who had been excluded from the nationalisation process, as they marched towards the Chief Adviser’s residence in Jamuna.

On Monday, 15 September, in the afternoon, the teachers set out from the National Press Club towards the Chief Adviser’s residence. However, they were intercepted by law enforcement near the Kadam Fountain adjacent to the High Court. To disperse them, the police fired water cannons and sound grenades. The teachers were then forced to retreat and regroup in front of the Press Club.

Earlier, at around 10 a.m., nearly a thousand teachers from across the country gathered in front of the National Press Club under the banner of the Bangladesh Private Primary School General Teachers Unity Council to stage their protest.

Teachers’ Demands

The protesting teachers are calling for the immediate nationalisation of nearly 5,000 private primary schools that were left out, in line with the recommendations of the Consultation Committee of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.

• On 9 January 2013, the then government had announced the nationalisation of all private primary schools across the country.
• At that time, there were more than 30,000 schools, but around 5,000 schools were excluded due to political reasons.
• Although several government letters were issued in 2016 and 2018, nationalisation was never implemented.
• Most recently, on 3 February this year, the Chief Adviser’s Office sent a letter to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, but no further steps have yet been taken.

Voices from the Movement

• Md. Naushad Ahmed, Central Coordinator of the Teachers’ Unity Council, stated:
  “In accordance with the Chief Adviser’s Office letter and the recommendations of the Consultation Committee, the remaining 5,000 private primary schools must be brought under nationalisation without delay.”
• Mahbuba Mala, another coordinator of the organisation, said:
  “As nationalisation has not been implemented, teachers are leading an inhumane life. Although we educate others’ children, our own fate has not improved.”

Key Highlights in Figures

The protest underscores longstanding frustration among excluded teachers, who have been waiting for over a decade for justice and inclusion, while struggling with poor livelihoods.