Teachers of the government primary schools on Monday withdrew their countrywide work abstention programme and a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital Dhaka after the government promised them upgrading their salaries to the 11th grade.
The teachers made the announcement after holding a meeting with finance ministry secretary Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder and primary and mass education ministry secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana at the聽 secretariat in the capital.
The three-point demand of the protesting teachers included the upgradation of their pay scale to the 10th grade from the 13th grade, ensuring 100 per cent departmental promotion, and resolving issues related to higher-grade eligibility after 10 and 16 years of service.
Earlier, on Saturday, over 100 protesting teachers under the banner of Primary Teachers Demand Implementation Council were injured as the police charged batons, hurled sound grenades and sprayed water on their procession in the capital鈥檚 Shahbagh area.
Protesting at the police attack, the agitating teachers announced a countrywide work abstention programme and sit-in in the capital for an indefinite period from Sunday and continued their strike for the second consecutive day on Monday.
Later, at about 5:30pm on Monday, 17 teacher leaders went to the secretariat.
A press release issued by the primary and mass education ministry on Monday night said that the meeting was chaired by Finance Division secretary Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder.
Khairuzzaman said that after getting the primary and mass education ministry鈥檚 proposal to upgrade the assistant teachers鈥� salary to the 11th grade, the Finance Division sent the proposal to the National Pay Commission 2025.
The proposal is now under consideration by the commission, he said, adding that the division would act as per the commission recommendation.
About resolving issues related to higher-grade eligibility after 10 and 16 years of service, he said that if the primary education ministry sent a proposal to the Finance Division in this regard, they would review the matter.
At the meeting, decision was also made that the primary education ministry will take steps following the public administration ministry rules about 100 per cent departmental promotion.
Following the meeting, the teacher leaders made announcement of withdrawing their strike, the release added.
After the meeting, Primary Teachers Demand Implementation Council convener Khairun Nahar at the secretariat told reporters that they had withdrawn their strike following the assurance of the Finance Division.
Some teacher leaders, however, said that they were still not decided whether they would withdraw the strike unless a gazette on the 11th grade was issued.
