Tension Erupts as Non-Govt Teacher Aspirants Clash with Police on March to Secretariat

Dhaka, 15 June — What began as a peaceful march turned chaotic this afternoon when police baton-charged and lobbed sound grenades at a group of non-government teacher aspirants attempting to reach the Secretariat with their demands.

The clash broke out around 1:25pm near the National Press Club, as protesters tried to push through police barricades. Despite the police’s aggressive response, the demonstrators—many draped in symbolic white shrouds to represent the death of their dreams—stood their ground.

The demonstrators are part of the 17th batch of the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA). They say they were promised opportunities that never came. Having passed their teacher registration exams back in 2020, they faced long delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their results were finally published in December 2023—but since then, no appointments have followed.

Many now face a harsh new reality: they’ve crossed the age limit for applying to teaching posts under the latest recruitment circular. Even though the government granted a three-month age relaxation, for many, it came too late. “We are now 35 years old—this so-called relaxation doesn’t help us anymore,” one protester said.

Desperate for a chance to sit for new exams and be considered for teaching posts, the group tried to reach the Secretariat to press their case. But their path was blocked by law enforcement.

“A few members of the group asked to meet government advisers. When that was denied, they tried to force their way in. Police used sound grenades to disperse them,” said Abdullah Al Mamun, Assistant Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna zone.

Police had earlier imposed a ban on all public gatherings in key areas including the Secretariat and the Chief Adviser’s official residence, following a public notice issued by DMP on June 8.

Meanwhile, frustration is also boiling over elsewhere in the city. A separate group—candidates who were dropped during the viva voce stage of the 18th NTRCA exam—have been holding a sit-in since early morning in front of the NTRCA office in Eskaton. They’re demanding a re-evaluation of their results and the issuance of registration certificates.

As of this report, demonstrators near the Press Club remain defiant, refusing to leave despite the crackdown. Their message is simple but urgent: give us a fair chance to teach.