UNB, Dhaka :
Leaders of Shikkhok Kormochari Oikkyojote (SKO), an alliance of teachers and employees of private educational intuitions, on Monday urged the government to cancel the decision of 10 percent deduction on their retirement benefits and welfare trust.
They also demanded 10 percent seats for the teachers at Parliament for the betterment of the country and urged the government to meet their demands by July 23.
SKO Chairman Principal Salim Bhuiyan placed a set of demands at a press conference in the city on behalf of the teachers and employees of the private educational institutions in the country.
The other demands are introducing Baishakh festival bonus, stopping harassment of teachers, nationalization of all non-MPO (monthly pay order) educational institutions, and a 5 percent increase in their salaries.
The SKO leaders threatened to go for series of programmes, including human chain, opinion exchange with lawmakers and civil society representatives, from July 24 if their demands are not met by July 23.
Salim Bhuiyan said they will announce tougher programmes through holding press conference in divisional levels from September 10.
He said teachers and staff of private educational institutions started getting their retirement benefits from 2002 and the total amount of deduction on their retirement benefits and welfare trust was only 6 percent – 2 percent for welfare trust and 4 percent for retirement benefits.
The government, he said, has abruptly taken a decision to deduct 10 percent from their retirement benefits and welfare trust without any discussion with the actual representative of the teachers.
“The government has taken the decision after discussion with a section of so-called and unknown teachers’ leaders. Such decision is illogical, inhuman and unjust,” said the SKO Chairman.
Explaining the demand of 10 percent quota in parliament representing teachers, the SKO leader said, “There should be 10 percent seats to be kept preserved for the teachers to bring in qualitative change in politics.”
Salim Bhuiyan said political parties now are interested to welcome the affluent section of people without thinking of their other qualities. “We all are aware of the consequences of having such practice in our political arena.”
The teachers may not have properties but they have wider acceptability in the society, he said adding that “They (teachers) will not make terrorists and godfathers. So, in the interest of the country, we demand 10 percent reserved seats for teachers in Parliament.”
