Strike starts in public universities across Bangladesh

Teachers at Bangladesh's public universities have started their 'cease work' campaign.

"No classes or examinations are taking place in any public university anywhere in the country," said Prof Fariduddin Ahmed, spokesperson for Dhaka University Teachers’ Association and Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Associations (FBUTA).

He said the teachers are also not carrying out any administrative duties assigned to them.

Reports from Jahangirnagar and Sylhet's SUST indicated that classes and examinations were not taking place there.

"The bureaucrats have driven us to this agitation. For nine months, they have behaved like upper caste and declined to give us what we deserve," Fariduddin said.

The teachers have been upset with the 'discrepancies' in the Eighth National Pay Scale.

They started their movement about nine months ago when the draft of the new pay scale was proposed. They argue that it had lowered their status, and that the time-scale and selection grade had been abolished to do that.

The Cabinet then approved the pay scale in September last year and it was gazetted in December last year.

Amid waves of widening protests, the government had formed a committee, headed by Finance Minister AMA Muhith, to look into the demands of the teachers.

After sitting with the teachers on Dec 6 last year, Muhith had promised to fulfil three of their demands.

But the teachers alleged that the pay scale’s gazette, published 10 days after the meeting, did not reflect his pledge in any way.

With no end to the deadlock in sight, the FBUTA on Jan 2 announced that they would go on the indefinite strike from Jan 11 if their demands went unheeded.

The teachers at all the public universities also wore black badges on Jan 3 and observed a two-hour strike on Jan 7.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid only two days ago said they were working on a solution to the crisis even though the finance minister had dismissed the demands recently.

“A secretary-level taskforce is working on the teachers’ demands. We hope a solution acceptable to all will be found very soon,” Nahid said on Friday.

But Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday came down hard on the teachers saying they were ‘lowering themselves by comparing themselves with others’.

She urged everyone to follow the rules of their organisations. "There has to be discipline in everything."

"People are satisfied with little in times of hunger. When hunger is gone and they get affluent, things like prestige, justice, honour and deputation come to their mind. I think we have raised the salaries a little too much. That's why there’s now a tug-of-war for prestige,” she said about the protest, which the pro-Awami League teachers are leading.

After her remarks, the FBUTA in a media statement on Sunday said they would press ahead with the indefinite work abstention until their demands are met.

But, the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association said they would administer the final examinations during the strike considering the students’ request.

“But other tests and academic activities including midterms will remain suspended,” it said in a statement.

Jahangirnagar University Teachers’ Association General Secretary Prof Mafruhi Sattar confirmed bdnews24.com that they will abstain from all activities until a solution is reached.

The protesting teachers are saying Finance Minister Muhith had promised to meet their demands to restore selection grade and time scale in the Eighth National Pay Scale, promote a section of selection-grade professors to ‘super grade’ created for senior secretaries and implement the starting salary proposal.

The FBUTA Secretary General ASM Maksud Kamal said only the demand over starting salary has been met.

“Now the finance minister is issuing statements to say he did not make any promise. Then why did he issue the gazette without discussing the matter in the committee on removing salary discrimination and without its clearance?” he asked.