Police charged batons, and fired sound grenades and teargas shells and sprayed water through canons on protesting recommended primary school teachers, whose appointments were cancelled through a High Court order on February 6, to disperse them from a Dhaka city road Monday afternoon.
The protesters blocked the road at about 1:00pm at the Shahbagh intersection and police used force on them in several phases, alleged the protesters.
Demanding cancellation of the HC order, the recommended primary school teachers blocked the road at Shahbagh in Dhaka for about four and a half hours, causing a severe traffic congestion in the area.
They later left the road and took position in front of the National Museum at about 4:50pm.
鈥榃e blocked the road to press home our demand. Police charged batons on us indiscriminately, sprayed water and fired sound grenades,鈥� Zebin Akter, a protester, told 抖阴精品.
A woman was also seen trying to protect her child as police sprayed water through canons on protesters to disperse them from the road.
At least four people were injured who took treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Mohammad Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police outpost.
A number of protesters were seen being taken into police custody and were kept at the Shahbagh police station.
Confirming the detention, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ramna Division deputy commissioner Masud Alam said that it was not confirmed how many people were detained.
鈥楾hey are in police custody now. Their information will be verified. Someone who is innocent will be released. A decision will be made later on whether anyone should be arrested,鈥� he told 抖阴精品 at about 5:00pm on the day.
However, Masud claimed that police did not charge batons on anyone as most of the protesters were women.
As of 8:00pm on Monday, protesters took position in front of the National Museum. They said that they would continue their sit-in there until their jobs are finalised.
Coordinator of the protesting teachers, Talukder Pias demanded the release of the people detained by police and condemned police for their action towards the women protesters.
The protesters threatened to commit suicide if their demands are not met.
The High Court on February 6 declared illegal and scrapped the November 20, 2024 appointment of 6,531 assistant teachers in government primary schools in Dhaka and Chattogram based on job quotas as per the 2019 recruitment rules.
The bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi delivered the verdict while disposing of a writ petition filed by 30 job seekers in November 2024 challenging the legality of the recruitment process.
The 2019 recruitment rules allow 60 per cent quota for women, 20 per cent for wards, and 20 per cent for males in recruiting teachers for government primary schools.
