Dhaka, Nov. 25 -- Primary school assistant teachers have launched a three-day total work stoppage to press for a series of demands relating to pay grades and promotions.

The protest action started on Tuesday under the banner of the "Primary Assistant Teacher Organisations' Unity Council", a coalition of 12 teacher groups.

The council is calling for entry-level assistant teachers to be placed in Grade 11 of the government pay scale, the resolution of complications surrounding higher grades after 10 and 16 years of service, and guaranteed 100% departmental promotion.

Shahinur Al Amin, president of Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers' Society -- one of the coalition's member groups -- said that they had given the government until Nov 15...