The protesting ibtedayi madrassah teachers on Tuesday withdrew their fast unto death programme on its second day after receiving assurances that their demand for the nationalisation of all ibtedayi madrassahs would be considered.
The teachers, however, vowed to continue their sit-in programme in front of the National Press Club in the capital until their demands were meet.
Under the banner of 鈥業ndependent Ibtedayi Madrassah Teachers鈥� Unity Movement Implementation Committee鈥�, the teachers gathering from across the country began a sit-in in front of the Press Club on October 13.
Their demands include immediate nationalisation of all independent ibtedayi madrassahs, separate directorate for independent ibtedayi madrassahs and pre-primary positions in these madrassahs.
They had started the hunger strike on Monday.
On the 30th day of their sit-in, at about 12:00 noon Tuesday, a 21-member representative team of the ibtedayi teachers went to the Bangladesh Secretariat to meet Technical and Madrasah Education Division secretary Md Rafiqul Islam.
Independent Ibtedayi Madrassah Teachers鈥� Unity Council chairman Kazi Mokhlesur Rahman said that the secretary assured them that their demands would be considered.
Secretary Md Rafiqul Islam also told them that their issues would be discussed with the education ministry adviser within two days, Mokhlesur added.
The teachers withdrew hunger strike responding the secretary鈥檚 request though their sit-in would continue, he said.聽
The protesting teachers said that in 1994 only 1,519 ibtedayi madrassahs were enlisted for government allowances, while the rest around 13,000 remained out of the allowances till now.
