Assistant teachers at all government primary schools across Bangladesh have begun an indefinite work abstention from Sunday, 9 November, resulting in the closure of classes in nearly 65,000 institutions. The strike was announced on Saturday evening at a press conference held at the Central Shaheed Minar by Shamsuddin Masud, convener of the Primary Assistant Teachers’ Organisations Unity Council and president of the Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association. He stated that teaching would remain suspended until their demands are met, while teachers will continue a sit-in at Shaheed Minar. The protest escalated following a police crackdown on teachers holding a “pen-down” demonstration at Shahbag, where sound grenades, tear-shells and rubber bullets were reportedly used. More than a hundred teachers were injured, many requiring hospital care, and several sought refuge in the Dhaka University area. Witnesses said the sound grenades caused many to fall ill immediately. Teachers are pressing three core demands: elevation of assistant teachers’ salary to Grade 10, a permanent resolution of higher-grade complexities, and a guarantee of 100% departmental promotion. According to the Directorate of Primary Education, the country has 65,567 government primary schools with around 384,000 teachers, all affected by the ongoing shutdown. Meanwhile, another teachers’ group has given the government until 15 November before escalating to phased work stoppages and, ultimately, a potential indefinite hunger strike if no progress is achieved.