MATS students announce nationwide academic shutdown in protest over unmet demands

In a bid to highlight their ongoing concerns, students of the Medical Assistant Training Schools (MATS) have declared an “academic shutdown” across the country, starting Monday, March 3. 

The students are protesting over four key demands, including the immediate recruitment for vacant 10th-grade positions. The protest will also include actions such as sit-ins in front of educational institutions and the distribution of leaflets in different districts.

At a press conference held on Sunday, March 2, Mohammad Hasibul Islam Shanto (Hasib), a student representative, officially announced the protest program. 

The conference was organized under the banner of the “General MATS Student Unity Council.”

Hasib said that last month, the Ministry of Health had made commitments to fulfill their demands, including job announcements for vacant positions. 

However, due to the failure to meet these promises on time, the students decided to escalate the situation. 

Hasib stated, “The Ministry had promised to implement our four demands, but since nothing has happened, we’re forced to take action. Starting tomorrow, academic activities will remain suspended indefinitely.”

The students’ four main demands are:

1.     Immediate recruitment for the vacant 10th-grade positions.

2.     Creation of new posts in both government and private sectors for employment opportunities.

3.     Retention of the four-year academic course with curriculum revisions and the addition of a one-year internship program that offers stipends.

4.     Cancellation of the proposed Allied Health Professional Board and instead, the establishment of a “Medical Education Board of Bangladesh,” along with opportunities for higher education in clinical subjects that meet international standards and are recognized by the BMDC.

These protests have been ongoing for six months as the students continue to push for their demands to be met.

In Bangladesh, there are 16 government and 200 private assistant training schools. 

Students who complete the three-year course at these schools receive a Diploma in Medical Faculty and go on to work as health assistants in both public and private institutions.

This new protest aims to pressure the authorities into taking immediate action to address the students’ concerns and fulfill their promises.