Dhaka: Government primary school teachers in Bangladesh held a full-day strike on Thursday, maintaining a work stoppage on school campuses as they push for a three-point charter of demands, local media reported.

Teachers have stopped entering classrooms and suspended the “Student Learning Assessment – Second Phase” until authorities take action. Leaders said they resumed the joint programme because the Ministry under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government had shown “no visible progress” on their issues throughout November.

Shamsuddin Masud, central president of the Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association, confirmed the collective action. Khayrun Nahar Lipi, general secretary of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association, told The Daily Star that the teachers will not participate in classes or examinations until a government notification addresses their demands. She also accused the authorities of excessive force earlier this month, saying one teacher died and several others were injured during police action.

The protest began on Tuesday as a three-day work stoppage aimed at securing upgraded pay grades and fair promotion opportunities. Union leaders have threatened to boycott annual exams and launch a hunger strike in December if the government fails to respond.

The teachers’ demands include raising their pay to grade 10, eliminating promotional discrimination, and ensuring equal professional status with secondary-level educators.

In a parallel move, teachers at government higher secondary schools warned they will halt all academic activities from December 1 if their own four-point demand — including upgrading the assistant teacher post from grade 10 to grade 9 — is not met. Their announcement came after a sit-in outside the Shikka Bhaban in Dhaka on Thursday morning under the banner of the Bangladesh Secondary Teachers’ Association.

Protesting secondary teachers said they have faced “long-standing discrimination” and noted they have staged multiple demonstrations previously. One teacher stated that they will not return to educational institutions until their demands are accepted.

As regular classes for the year have already ended ahead of final exams, teachers said they will initially refuse to conduct examinations and continue their work abstention.