Independent Ebtedayee madrasa teachers, who have been staging a continuous sit-in for MPO inclusion and salary release, faced police obstruction on Wednesday when they attempted a long march to the Secretariat in Dhaka. Witnesses said police stopped the procession around 11:30 a.m., after which a five-member delegation was taken to the Secretariat for talks with the education minister. The teachers waited for hours but did not get a meeting and later returned to the National Press Club to announce a hunger strike beginning Sunday.

According to the teachers’ welfare committee, the education minister was occupied with budget session duties at the Prime Minister’s Office and could not meet them. Teachers have been demonstrating for 14 days, with many reportedly falling ill due to continuous protest without adequate food or rest. Their demands include implementation of MPO benefits for registered independent Ebtedayee madrasas verified under the 2025 policy and release of salaries approved from January 2026.

Earlier, on May 28, police also blocked a teachers’ march toward the Prime Minister’s residence, briefly detaining six representatives before releasing them. The teachers have sought intervention from both the Prime Minister and the Education Minister.