Magura Correspondent

Teachers and employees of MPO-affiliated colleges, madrasas, and secondary schools in Magura staged a protest demanding a 20% increase in house rent, a medical allowance of Tk 1,500, and a 75% festival allowance for staff. They also strongly condemned and protested recent attacks on teachers by holding rallies, human chains, and work abstention programs across various educational institutions.

Wednesday noon, the protest march began from Vaina Mor and proceeded through Dhaka Road, Chourangi Mor, and Nomani Maidan before ending at Segunbagicha Road. The teachers later held a protest rally there.

During the rally, teachers chanted slogans such as “Teachers will stay in schools, teachers will provide education,” making the entire town of Magura resound with their voices.

Leading the protest, lecturer Shahjahan Mridha Bablu said, “Teachers have been suffering from pay discrimination for a long time. The government recently increased the house rent by only Tk 500, which is far below our actual needs. Teachers have now taken to the streets, and we strongly protest the police baton charge on our colleagues.”

Md. Abdur Razzak, Principal,  Technical College, said, “Our brothers and sisters in Dhaka are protesting at the National Shaheed Minar. We are expressing solidarity with them from our district. If the government does not fulfill our logical demands, we will neither return to classrooms nor leave the streets.”

At the rally, Tanvir Rahman Ujjal, a teacher of Adarsha Degree College, warned that a tougher movement will be launched if their demands are not met. He urged all teachers to remain united, alert, and active in the ongoing movement.

Teachers from various schools, colleges, and madrasas of Magura’s four upazilas and the municipal area participated in the demonstration.

Among those present were Md  Obaidullah, Principal, Siddikia Madrasa,  Md. Abul Bashar, Super, Adarsha Mohila Madrasa,  Baharul Islam (High School , Md. Abdur Razzak, Principal, Technical College, Md. Ali Ahsan, Principal, College., Imdadul Haque Tiku, Roich Uddin Tushar, Latifa Khanom, Ruhul Amin, Tanvir Rahman Ujjal, and Shikdar Waliuzzaman Rinku.

Led by  Shahjahan Mridha Bablu, the protest march and rally in Magura strongly raised the demand for a 20% increase in house rent, Tk 1,500 medical allowance, and 75% festival allowance for all MPO-affiliated teachers and employees.