Police use sound grenades, water cannons to disperse teachers

Law enforcers resorted to sound grenades and water cannons to break up protesting teachers demanding a 20 percent house rent allowance, leading to chaos at the Press Club area. The incident occurred around 1:45pm on Sunday.

Teachers, advocating for three demands including the rent hike, were dispersed after the confrontation. Some regrouped at the Press Club, while others moved to the Shaheed Minar for sit-in.

A protester said, “Teachers are heading to Shaheed Minar. We will stage our sit-in there.”

Earlier, the MPO-listed Education Nationalisation Aspiring Alliance's member secretary Principal Delawar Hossain Azizi announced that no classes would resume until a gazette notification is issued. However, teachers remained divided on the sit-in location.

Leaders proposed shifting from Press Club to Shaheed Minar, but a faction opposed, demanding a long march toward the Secretariat. They continued protesting at the Press Club.

Teachers insisted they would not leave without the gazette, citing repeated unfulfilled assurances. Finance Ministry officials had promised resolution by October 22, but no circular has been issued.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner Masud Alam said, “Most have left. A few are scattered. Traffic is mostly normal.”

He added, “Those who refused to leave were detained—five or six are in custody. We spoke with leaders; they want to meet the Finance Secretary. We sent over 10 representatives. They returned convinced and decided to shift to Shaheed Minar.”

Alam explained, “Blocking Press Club affects the entire city, causing immense hardship. We used sound grenades to instill fear, fired away so they disperse gradually. It took a few rounds.”

Earlier, law enforcers used sound grenades, water cannons, and lathis to scatter the teachers around 1:45pm at the Press Club.