Government primary schools across Bangladesh are experiencing widespread disruption as assistant teachers escalate their protest by enforcing a “complete shutdown”, a move that has left thousands of students unable to sit their annual examinations. The strike, motivated by demands for pay upgrades and long-pending service-related reforms, has entered its most disruptive phase yet.
For many pupils, Wednesday marked the third day in which scheduled examinations could not take place. Across rural districts, schools were found locked, corridors deserted and classrooms inaccessible. In contrast, numerous institutions in Dhaka operated as normal, with headteachers struggling to maintain some semblance of routine amid growing uncertainty.
Bangladesh’s 65,569 government primary schools serve more than ten million children, relying heavily on assistant teachers who form the bulk of the nearly 400,000-strong teaching workforce. With 3.5 lakh assistant teachers currently in service, the impact of their absence has been immediate and profound.
The strike, spearheaded by the “Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council”, began on 27 November. Initially a work stoppage, the movement intensified when the group began boycotting examinations earlier this week. Their latest tactic—locking entire school premises—has drawn deep concern from parents and administrators.
In Meherpur, classroom doors and school gates were found padlocked early Wednesday morning. Students dressed in exam uniforms waited outside anxiously, many unaware of the strike’s implications. Some eventually turned back home with their parents, visibly distressed by the unexpected disruption.
Ten-year-old Azmail Hossain, a pupil at Gangni Uttarpara Government Primary School, summed up the sentiment plainly: “I came for my exam, but the door was locked. Now I have to go home.”
Teachers in the area said they were acting under instructions from union leaders. Local education officer S. M. Joynul Islam reported the situation to higher authorities, stating that action would be taken once formal directives were issued.
Yet the scenario is far from uniform nationwide. In Sylhet, headteachers reported that assistant teachers had chosen not to participate in the shutdown. Examinations there have continued since 1 December, albeit with heightened tension and uncertainty.
Sunamganj presents a contrasting picture. With assistant teachers participating fully in the protest, headteachers have been managing examinations alone—an impractical situation, and one fraught with logistical complications. “We are conducting exams in any way we can,” said Nazmul Haider, headteacher of Dharmpasha No. 2 Government Primary School, admitting that the process was both exhausting and inadequate.
Dhaka, however, remains comparatively unaffected. At Nilkhet Government Primary School, children were observed calmly sitting their exams. Headteacher Jannatul Naeema confirmed that their schedule was proceeding uninterrupted, with the final day set for 10 December.
Meanwhile, another teachers’ coalition—the “Assistant Teachers’ Organisation Unity Council”—has announced a parallel lockdown of schools from Thursday, adding yet another layer to an already complex crisis.
The core of the dispute lies in three key demands: immediate elevation to the 11th grade of the national pay scale, removal of technical hurdles surrounding higher-grade benefits after 10 and 16 years of service, and 100 per cent departmental promotion from assistant teacher to headteacher. Currently, assistant teachers remain in grade 13 with a starting basic salary of 11,000 taka, a structure they argue is inconsistent with their responsibilities and workload.
Government’s Stand and Warning
In response, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education issued a firm directive on Wednesday instructing teachers to abandon their strike and resume duties. The ministry said it had already requested the Pay Commission to consider upgrading assistant teachers’ salary grades. It also stated that procedural steps were underway regarding higher-grade entitlements and promotional reforms.
However, the ministry expressed strong concern over incidents where striking teachers reportedly obstructed examinations and, in some instances, harassed colleagues who attempted to continue teaching. Such acts, the ministry warned, violate public service regulations and could lead to action under criminal law.
All assistant teachers have been ordered to return to work immediately and complete third-term examinations responsibly. Failure to comply, the ministry cautioned, would result in disciplinary action.
It has since emerged that several teachers have already received show-cause notices, signalling that the government is prepared to escalate its response should the shutdown continue.