Classes Boycotted, Human Chain, and Memorandum Submitted in Joypurhat Protesting Teacher Repression in Dhaka

 Moshiur Rahman Khan, Special Correspondent

Teachers and employees of all non-government MPO-affiliated educational institutions in Kalai, Joypurhat, left their classrooms and staged a human chain on the highway. Today, Tuesday (October 14), around 11:30 a.m., the human chain was held on the Joypurhat-Bogura highway at the Kalai Bus Stand under the banner of the Oikya Jote (United Front) of Non-Government School, College, Madrasah, and Technical Teachers and Employees Seeking Nationalization.

Teachers and employees from all non-government educational institutions in the Upazila united, suspended classes, and participated in the human chain. They continued the protest program for about an hour.

Their demands include an explanation for the police baton charge against their beloved teachers during a peaceful protest. They demand that their key demand be immediately met through a gazette notification and that those who used tear gas, batons, and water cannons to repress the teachers be brought to justice and punished.

Speakers during the human chain included: Nurul Islam, Acting Principal of Kalai Degree College; Motior Rahman, Superintendent of Thupsara Selimia Dakhil Madrasah; Mosaddek Hossain, Headmaster of Molamgarihat Girls' High School; Shamim Reza, Assistant Professor of Hatior Kamil Madrasah; and Abdul Karim, Principal of Kalai Mohila BM College, among others.

Maulana Selim Reza, Assistant Professor of Arabic Department at Hatior Kamil Madrasah, expressed his outrage, saying, "The members of the administration who baton-charged us during the peaceful protest in Dhaka also received their education from some teacher. Now it feels like our own students are persecuting us today." He further demanded that those who used tear gas, batons, and water cannons to repress the teachers be brought to justice and punished, and that the nationalization gazette notification be issued soon.

Following the human chain, the teachers ended their protest by marching to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer's (UNO) office, where they submitted a memorandum.