Officers, employees, caretakers, and teachers under the mosque-based Child and Mass Education Program, operated by the Islamic Foundation, have suspended their movement demanding five points, including overdue salaries and Eid bonuses, following assurances from the director general of the Islamic Foundation.The director general of the Islamic Foundation, Abdus Salam Khan, announced in front of the main gate of the Ministry of Planning in Agargaon that all the demands of the protesters would be met within 24 days on Saturday at 2pm, reports Generation Times. He said: “In addition to five months of overdue salaries and bonuses, it has been decided to increase their salary by Tk1,500 instead of Tk5,000. The remaining demands will also be implemented gradually.”
He also said that he would meet with project officials and teacher representatives on Saturday to take official steps regarding the matter, and after this announcement, the protesters welcomed it with slogans.
At that time, representatives of the protesters, including Shamshuddin, field supervisor of Lakshmipur district, and other leaders, declared the suspension of the movement.
However, they warned that if the decision was not implemented by May 24, they would take to the streets before Eid.
Earlier, at 8am on Saturday, the protesters staged a demonstration by sitting in front of the Ministry of Planning in Agargaon.
They demanded the urgent approval of the mosque-based Child and Mass Education Pogram project (phase 8) for the development of moral and religious values, as well as payment of salaries and allowances from January to May, along with four other demands.
They said that although all their demands had been approved, delays in implementation caused by the Ministry of Planning’s negligence were the reason for their protest.
Earlier, when the ministry verbally agreed to their demands at 12 noon, the protesters rejected the agreement, gave an ultimatum for a written declaration within two hours, and several thousand teachers and employees blocked the officials inside.