UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday came down heavily on the agitating public university teachers as their programme is hampering the academic life of students.
“They’ve no right to stop the academic activities of students,” she said. The Prime Minister was speaking at a press conference at her official residence Ganobhaban to brief journalists about the outcome of her recent US visit to attend the UN General Assembly and other programmes.
Teachers of all 37 public universities, under the
banner of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association (FBUTA), are on an agitation programme demanding revision of the 8th national pay scale and a separate salary structure for them.
In the new pay scale, the Prime Minister said, the government has increased the salaries of the teachers by 91 percent. “Could anyone think of this hike? Ask them, we’ve given them a lot…it should have been better had it been less,” she said.
Hasina mentioned that the retirement age of public servants is 59 years, while that of the public university teachers is 65 years. “You need to take this into account.”
The Prime Minister also said what they are discussing now was in fact her proposal. “I had proposed forming a separate commission for them.” She asked to draw a comparative picture what they are getting and what the secretaries are receiving. “No secretary during his or her service period is allowed to do another job, but the teachers can.”
Hasina said if the teachers want to get the status like the secretaries then the retirement age of the teachers have to be brought down. The Prime Minister said she has the list how many teachers of the universities are doing double job.
She blasted the teachers for their decision to refrain from taking classes. “Why should they stop taking classes? They have no right to do that.”
The Awami League chief said the government is thinking of a separate commission for them and there is no reason for them to go on an agitation programme for that. “As they’re on an agitation programme, then let it go, there’s nothing for my intervention as they’re destroying the academic life of students,” she said.
Hasina also said the Finance Minister and the Education Minister are there, and a committee has been formed. “So, they’ll look into the matter.”
“Let them decide not to take salaries until their agitation programme is over,” she said urging the teachers not to hamper the education of students.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday came down heavily on the agitating public university teachers as their programme is hampering the academic life of students.
“They’ve no right to stop the academic activities of students,” she said. The Prime Minister was speaking at a press conference at her official residence Ganobhaban to brief journalists about the outcome of her recent US visit to attend the UN General Assembly and other programmes.
Teachers of all 37 public universities, under the
banner of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association (FBUTA), are on an agitation programme demanding revision of the 8th national pay scale and a separate salary structure for them.
In the new pay scale, the Prime Minister said, the government has increased the salaries of the teachers by 91 percent. “Could anyone think of this hike? Ask them, we’ve given them a lot…it should have been better had it been less,” she said.
Hasina mentioned that the retirement age of public servants is 59 years, while that of the public university teachers is 65 years. “You need to take this into account.”
The Prime Minister also said what they are discussing now was in fact her proposal. “I had proposed forming a separate commission for them.” She asked to draw a comparative picture what they are getting and what the secretaries are receiving. “No secretary during his or her service period is allowed to do another job, but the teachers can.”
Hasina said if the teachers want to get the status like the secretaries then the retirement age of the teachers have to be brought down. The Prime Minister said she has the list how many teachers of the universities are doing double job.
She blasted the teachers for their decision to refrain from taking classes. “Why should they stop taking classes? They have no right to do that.”
The Awami League chief said the government is thinking of a separate commission for them and there is no reason for them to go on an agitation programme for that. “As they’re on an agitation programme, then let it go, there’s nothing for my intervention as they’re destroying the academic life of students,” she said.
Hasina also said the Finance Minister and the Education Minister are there, and a committee has been formed. “So, they’ll look into the matter.”
“Let them decide not to take salaries until their agitation programme is over,” she said urging the teachers not to hamper the education of students.
