Hundreds of job seekers staged a forceful protest at the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) office on Monday, locking the building in frustration over delays in teacher appointments.
The demonstrators—candidates who passed the 18th Teacher Registration Examination but were excluded from the recent sixth mass recruitment circular—marched from Shahbagh to Banglamotor, culminating in a sit-in at the NTRCA headquarters.
They blocked all entrances, halting official work. Police later intervened, removing protesters from inside the building, while maintaining a heavy presence at the site. Demonstrators continued their agitation outside.
Chanting slogans like “Merit, not favoritism!” and “Appoint the qualified!”, the candidates demanded transparency and fairness in the recruitment process, accusing authorities of systemic discrimination.
A delegation met with NTRCA Additional Secretary Aminul Islam, but talks ended without resolution. Several protesters sustained minor injuries during the demonstration and were treated at a nearby medical center.
Protesters’ demands include issuing a special mass circular by December 31, 2025, to fill all vacant teaching posts in MPO-registered schools and immediately appointing 16,213 qualified candidates who passed the exam but were left out—before any changes are made to recruitment policy.
The sixth mass circular, issued on June 16 this year opened applications for just 1,822 teaching positions nationwide. The results, announced on August 19, recommended 41,627 candidates for appointment, with a joining deadline of September 18.
Despite passing the competitive exam, thousands—including many with years of teaching experience—were not recommended due to the mismatch between vacancies and eligible applicants.
Many argue that thousands of unfilled positions across the country make the exclusion unjust, especially when new circulars could be issued to absorb the qualified backlog.
As public frustration mounts, the NTRCA has yet to issue a formal response to the protesters’ demands.
HKJ
