Bangladeshi Teachers Call Hunger Strike
Rebuilding a School in Banlgadesh devestated by Cyclone Sidr
Teachers in community primary schools in Bangladesh will go on hunger strike from August 1st if their demand for a 20% pay increase is not met.
Primary teachers in Bangla Desh earn Tk1200 per month which is equivalent to $17.5. Inflation is running at 10%. Over the last few years the number living under the poverty line has increased from 51 to 61 million. Child labour is common and only 40% of the population is literate.
The IMF and World Bank have imposed poicies of cutting back state spending and freeing the economy for foreign capital. Last year they attempted to impose a so-called Policy Support Instrument (PSI) on the country - basically economic “advice, monitoring and endorsement” from the IMF without any funding - but were forced to withdraw in the face of mass protests.
July 14 2008 10:40 am | General
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