Teachers of public universities have set a deadline threatening to go with tough programmes, including complete shutdown of the universities across the country unless their separate pay scale is implemented soon.
Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA) President Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed made the warning in a press conference held in Dhaka University Teachers’ Association around 11am Sunday.
He said they would declare tough programme on January 2 next year if their demand for separate pay scale that includes time scale was not implemented in the meantime.
In reply to a clarification query from journalists, the FBUTA president said all public universities could be shut down on the denial of their demand and he sought Prime Minister’s intervention in the crisis.
“We met Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith on December 6 and he promised us to meet our demands. Actually, we have been cheated by him (finance minister). Now nothing we have left except adopting a final decision. There is no way except stern protest,” said Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed.
The organisation’s general secretary Maksud Kamal echoed the voice of the president, telling the finance minster should step down for the sake of the country.
The public university teachers have been protesting the Eighth National Pay Scale since May 14, advocating a four-point charter of demands that includes the formation of a commission to initiate an independent pay scale for public university teachers.
The other demands of the public university teachers are salary and allowance parity between senior professors and senior secretaries, and between professors and secretaries; upgrading the status of teachers in the warrant of precedence; and the provision of cars and other allowances for teachers similar to provisions given to bureaucrats.
Source: Dhaka Tribune