Police throw water cannon, tear gas on Ebtedayee Madrasa teachers

Police charged batons, threw sound grenades and tear gas and used water cannon on Ebtedayee Madrasa teachers who took position in the capital’s Shahbagh demanding job nationalization.

The teachers faced obstruction from police when they tried to break through makeshift police barricades at Shahbagh during a march towards the Chief Adviser’s office around 12:40 pm on Sunday (January 26).

Additional police members have been deployed in the area to bring the situation under control.

Earlier, the teachers gathered in front of the National Press Club to announce their six-point demand. Later, they began a march towards the Chief Adviser’s office through Dhaka University. Police had already set up barricades at Shahbagh to obstruct the march. The teachers faced police action when they tried to forcibly breach the barricade.

Confirming the incident, Inspector (investigation) of Shahbagh Police Station Asaduzzaman said, “The situation is now under control. Additional police members have been deployed in the area.”

The six demands of the Ebtedayee Madrasa teachers include withdrawing a 2008 hold on the formation of a standalone Ebtedayee Madrasa Board, drafting dedicated policies for the madrasas, assigning code numbers to already registered institutions, approving regulations for proper state recognition and financial benefits for the teachers, recruiting office assistants like in government primary schools, approving pre-primary education system in Ebtedayee Madrasas.