Police on Sunday (Oct 12) dispersed teachers who had been staging a sit-in outside the National Press Club in Dhaka to demand increases in housing and medical allowances, restoring traffic movement in the area.

According to the witnesses, the removal took place around 2:15 pm, when demonstrators—teachers from private, MPO-listed educational institutions—moved toward the Central Shaheed Minar after police intervention. 

Soon after, traffic resumed on the road from Paltan to the Kadam Fountain intersection, they added.

A heavy police presence remained at the site even after the protesters withdrew, while a few teachers stayed in the vicinity, though no further action was taken against them.

Earlier in the day, several thousand teachers had occupied the street outside the Press Club, halting traffic from around 9 am. Police began clearing them shortly before 2 pm, using batons, coloured water cannons and sound grenades to disperse the crowd.

One teacher, Didarul Alam, said their “peaceful and logical movement” had been disrupted. “If necessary, we will sacrifice our lives—we will not leave. We’ll lock the schools if our demands are ignored,” he told reporters.

The teachers had been demonstrating for days, causing traffic congestion and public disruption in the Press Club area. Their sit-in has now been suspended, according to participants.

SMS/