The teachers also kept the 23,000 private primary educational institutions closed across the country, said leaders of the Bangladesh Non-government Primary Teacher Association.

They vowed to continue their strike at the educational institutions until June 8 and observe hunger strike in the capital until their one-point demand is met.

At least 15 teachers became sick and one of them was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment. The hospitalised teacher, Bazlur Rashid, came from Gabtoli of Bogra.

The teachers began their hunger strike until death at the Muktangon at 6:00pm on Tuesday after observing a 48-hour hunger strike.

Several hundreds of teachers also brought out a silent procession wearing shrouds from Muktangon at noon yesterday that paraded several city streets. They would hold a grand protest rally at Muktangon at noon today. Leaders of the association expect more teachers from different parts of the country would join their grand rally.

The government did not fulfil their election pledge of nationalising the primary school teachers' jobs and they will receive the result of betrayal in the next elections, said Shamsul Alam, president of the association.

The agitating teachers carried earthen plates as a symbol for their protest against poor wages and demanded to the government to nationalise their jobs in the budget for 2006-07 fiscal.

Various political and social leaders expressed their solidarity with teachers' demand. But the government is indifferent to the issue and has not given any assurance, leaders of the association told The Daily Star.