Teachers from non-government MPO-listed institutions have rejected the government’s approval of a five percent house rent allowance — with a minimum floor of Tk 2,000 per month. However, they termed the move as “first step toward victory”.

They vowed to continue their movement until their demands including the 20 percent house rent of their basic salary are met.

“It is our preliminary victory that the government response to our demand,” said Delwar Hossain Azizi, member secretary of the MPO Nationalisation Expectant Alliance — the platform leading the protests.

“But we are rejecting it. We will continue our protest, work abstention, hunger strike until our demands — 20 percent house rent, Tk 1,500 medical allowance, and 75 percent festival allowance– are met,” he told The Daily Star.

According to a finance ministry circular issued today, the government has approved a five percent house rent allowance of the basic salary for teachers and employees of MPO-listed non-government educational institutions, effective from November 1, 2025.

At the entry level, MPO-listed teachers now receive a monthly salary of Tk 12,500, including Tk 1,000 as house rent, Tk 500 as medical allowance, and 50 percent of their basic pay as festival allowance.

In August, the finance ministry approved a Tk 500 rise in the house rent allowance, which the teachers rejected, calling it “insufficient.”

On October 12, teachers across the country joined the protest in front of the Jatiya Press Club and police dispersed their rally, using water cannons, batons, and sound grenades.

They then moved to the Shaheed Minar, where they protested the police action and announced a countrywide work abstention from the following day.

Still, they continue their protest programmes, including blockades at Shahbagh intersection, hunger strikes, and rallies.

Currently, there are over 26,000 MPO-listed non-government institutions in the country, employing around 3.8 lakh teachers and 1.7 lakh staff members.