A protest march demanding the nationalization of thousands of private primary schools was met with police resistance in Dhaka on Monday, as demonstrators attempted to march toward the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna. Teachers from across the country, rallying under the banner of the “Bangladesh Private Primary School Teachers Unity Council,” were calling for the inclusion of around 5,000 schools left out of previous nationalization efforts.

The march began in the afternoon near the National Press Club, where teachers had been demonstrating since morning. At around 4 p.m., they started moving toward Jamuna, but police intercepted them near the Supreme Court’s Kadam Fountain area. In an attempt to break up the gathering, officers used water cannons and sound grenades, forcing protesters to retreat toward Paltan. Witnesses said several teachers were injured in the scuffle as chaos erupted in the area.

The teachers argue that their demand is rooted in promises made more than a decade ago. They recalled that on January 9, 2013, the government of the time announced the nationalization of all private primary schools across the country. While more than 30,000 such schools existed then, only 26,193 were brought under nationalization, leaving thousands excluded, allegedly due to political considerations.

Teachers pointed to subsequent directives and letters from various government bodies that appeared to acknowledge their claims. On July 28, 2016, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education issued a letter instructing district authorities to submit lists of eligible schools for the third phase of nationalization within 15 working days. Again, on February 20, 2018, the Prime Minister’s Office sent a letter asking the ministry to prepare a comprehensive summary of applications from schools excluded from the earlier process.

More recently, on February 3, 2025, the Chief Adviser’s Office issued another letter directing the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to take necessary steps regarding nationalization. The ministry’s Consultation Committee also recommended in its February 28 report that up to 5,000 remaining private primary schools should be considered for inclusion. Yet, teachers say that despite repeated commitments and documentation, no concrete progress has been made.

Frustration over the government’s inaction has driven repeated protests. Teachers claim their situation is worsening, as they continue to teach underprivileged children while themselves enduring financial hardship. Leaders of the Teachers Unity Council insisted that the government must fulfill its promise, warning that delays are forcing educators into lives of poverty and despair.

During Monday’s rally, central coordinator of the Teachers Unity Council, Md. Naushad Ahmed, said the government has long portrayed itself as education-friendly, gaining international recognition for its achievements in the sector. He stressed that such recognition would ring hollow if thousands of teachers and schools were continuously excluded from nationalization. “We call upon the government to honor the Chief Adviser’s directives and the Consultation Committee’s recommendations without further delay,” he declared.

Mahbuba Mala, another coordinator of the council, described the personal toll of the crisis, saying teachers are living in extreme hardship. “We educate the children of this nation, yet our own livelihoods remain uncertain. We have dedicated our lives to teaching, but our future has been ignored,” she said.

Teachers concluded the demonstration by urging the intervention of education officials and the Chief Adviser to resolve the matter. Despite being dispersed, their leaders vowed to continue pressing their demand until the long-promised nationalization of the remaining schools becomes reality.