Finance Minister Muhith apologises for ‘grossly offensive’ comments about public university teachers

Finance Minister AMA Muhith says his comments about public university teachers demonstrating for a review of pay scale were ‘insulting’ and has withdrawn his statement.

“I believe the comment was grossly offensive. It indeed defamed them. I am sorry for it and I withdraw my statement,” he told a media briefing in Sylhet on Thursday.

The university teachers have been demonstrating since last December after the Pay Commission proposed the eighth pay scale.

The Cabinet approved the Eighth National Pay Scale on Monday with basic pay ranging between Tk 8,250 and Tk 78,000.

Public universities’ selection grade professors enjoyed the top grade along with secretaries and major generals in the Seventh National Pay Scale.

Senior professors were included in grade-2 and professors in grade-3.

However, the eighth pay scale does not separately mention the status of selection grade professors.

Muhith on Tuesday said the country’s most educated section was demonstrating because of a “lack of knowledge” and that their work abstention had “no justification”.

“They don’t know what the pay scale has for them,” he said.

He went on alleging that the universities promoted its teachers whenever they wished and dubbed it a “corrupt practice”.

The teachers’ federation in a statement the same night dubbed his comments ‘rude’ and ‘uncalled for’ and asked the minister to apologise publicly by 24 hours.

Muhith clarified on Thursday that he could not find an appropriate Bangla for the word ‘uninformed’.

“I had used that term (lack of knowledge) to mean that the teachers were not properly informed on the issue,” he said.

Teachers give Muhith 24 hours to say ‘sorry’

Teachers irk Muhith