One group held a press conference on September 1 at the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium protesting the planned hunger strike on September 3 at Osmany Udyan and branded the other group as a 'fake' organisation.

Akkas Ali Sheikh, the secretary general of Bangladesh Non Government Primary Teachers Association alleged that the so-called leaders of the agitating association did not represent primary school teachers. He also said that the Association was registered in 1992 and its head office is located in 99 Nawabpur Road and alleged that the other association was using a phony registration number and letterhead to confuse the teachers.

The speakers at the press conference showed a letterhead to the journalists which mentioned their temporary office address as 23/2 Topkhana Road, Dhaka. Underneath, there was the hunger-strike call by the former President Md. Samsul Alam, who is also the President of the newly formed Noin Government Primary Teachers Association.

Ali informed that 75,232 teachers of the 20,000 registered primary schools were at present drawing salary of which 90 percent is provided by the government. He showed the Government Order (GO) regarding their 10-point demand.

He said that they have already complained against the other association's activities to the Deputy Police Commissioner and Dhaka City Corporation.

When contacted Samsul Alam said that he was the elected president of the Bangladesh Non Government Primary Teachers Association from 1996 to 2001 adding, that he was supporting the movement to realise the ultimate goal of nationalisation of all the primary schools of the country.

"Unfortunately the secretary general opposed the movement. With the mandate of the teachers I have formed another association to carry on the movement for nationalisation of the primary teachers and schools," said Alam.

He also claimed that Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had declared nationalisation of the primary teachers at a meeting on September 10 at Osmany Udyan as part of her election p ledge.