MPO INCLUSION Over 160 teachers, employees fall sick as hunger strike goes on

Over 160 teachers and employees of private educational institutions fell sick on Monday during their fast unto death for eight consecutive days demanding inclusion of their workplaces in monthly payment order system of the government.
Among the sick teachers, six were admitted at Dhaka Medical College Hospital while many others were being treated with intravenous saline at the protest ground in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, said teacher leaders.
Protesters under the banner of Non-MPO Educational Institutions’ Teachers and Employees’ Federation observe the demonstration for 23 days to press for their demands.
‘The agitated protesters who were on fast unto death for last eight days fell sick in the scorching heat on the day,’ said the federation’s senior vice-president Shofikul Islam.
Teachers held half yearly exams in the schools as the exams started on July 1 and could continue for the month, he said.
‘Although we were abstained from work for seven days since June 23, but we do not want to put our students’ study life in jeopardy,’ he said.
On the day columnist Syed Abul Maksud went to the teachers and expressed solidarity with them. 
He also urged the government to consider the teachers’ demand as they were passing miserable days.
The teachers started their fresh demonstration on June 10 with sit-in for half-days. 
Several hundred teachers, many of whom were working without pay for as long as 20 years, had been on the streets for their payment from the government since December 26, 2017. 
The teachers held nonstop sit-ins for the first five days and then took recourse to hunger strike since January 1. 
The teachers called off their hunger strike five days later, when prime minister Sheikh Hasina assured them of their inclusion in the MPO system.
The last inclusion of 1,624 institutions in the MPO system took place in 2010.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net