S M Mizanur Rahman :
The public university teachers on Friday expressed frustration over the government inaction about their demand for a separate pay scale despite repeated calls.
They urged the government to ensure their ‘honour and dignity’ announcing a separate wage structure for them, otherwise they warned that the situation would get complicated.
Meanwhile, the higher education in the country is being hindered as the public universities are restive due to the teachers’ movement. All together, the situation further aggravated as the students of private universities and medical colleges are also agitating against the imposition of 7.5 percent VAT on tuition fees.
“The government must take steps before the situation gets complicated,” said Prof Farzana Islam, Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University.
The teachers blamed the bureaucrats of discriminating against the university teachers and demanded of the government to start the process of formulating a separate pay scale for them.
They rejected the proposed structure, terming it ‘disgraceful and discriminatory’ and said senior professors have been downgraded two tiers below the senior secretaries.
The proposed pay scale seemed to be an effort to demean teachers. If any turbulence is created at the universities due to the payscale, it will be difficult to control, the teachers warned.
Following the teachers movement an uneasy calm was prevailing on all the public university campuses.
Talking to The New Nation, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University (DU) Prof. A A M S Arefin Siddique and Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof. Farzana Islam echoing the same arguments said their teachers have to take huge workload to build up the students’ career.
DU VC Arefin Siddique said the problems should be solved through discussions.
“I think the government will pay attention to the teachers’ demand. And the situation will become normal,” he hoped.
JU VC Farzana Islam said they are eagerly waiting for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s call.
“We still believe our prime minister will understand us and she will call us to resolve the issue before the situation gets complicated,” she said.
Prof. Amena Akter Mohosin, Department of International Relations, Dhaka University told The New Nation that the ruling Awami League in its electoral pledges had given commitment to the teachers that it would announce a separate pay scale for the university teachers.
“But the government did not keep its words. It is very unfortunate and disgraceful to us,” she said.
She added a public university teacher has to handle minimum 120 students at each class.
“No country in the world but we in Bangladesh do this job everyday. We work hard all the time but it is disgraceful and discriminatory when senior professors are downgraded two tiers below senior secretaries,” Amena Akter Mohosin said.
Prof. Giasuddin Mollah, Department of Political Science, Dhaka University urged the government to sit with the teachers to resolve the crisis. Otherwise, the situation may deteriorate.
“There is no alternative but to hold dialogue between the teachers and the government to overcome the present situation. If the government wastes time, the situation will start deteriorating gradually,” he said.
Meanwhile, teachers of the country’s public universities will abstain from their works on September 13 and 17 to press home their demands.
On Tuesday, teachers of all the 37 public universities abstained from work terming the new pay scale ‘disgraceful’ for them.
Earlier on Monday, the cabinet, avoiding traditional selection grades and time-scale, approved the long-awaited pay scale for public servants.
The public university teachers on Friday expressed frustration over the government inaction about their demand for a separate pay scale despite repeated calls.
They urged the government to ensure their ‘honour and dignity’ announcing a separate wage structure for them, otherwise they warned that the situation would get complicated.
Meanwhile, the higher education in the country is being hindered as the public universities are restive due to the teachers’ movement. All together, the situation further aggravated as the students of private universities and medical colleges are also agitating against the imposition of 7.5 percent VAT on tuition fees.
“The government must take steps before the situation gets complicated,” said Prof Farzana Islam, Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University.
The teachers blamed the bureaucrats of discriminating against the university teachers and demanded of the government to start the process of formulating a separate pay scale for them.
They rejected the proposed structure, terming it ‘disgraceful and discriminatory’ and said senior professors have been downgraded two tiers below the senior secretaries.
The proposed pay scale seemed to be an effort to demean teachers. If any turbulence is created at the universities due to the payscale, it will be difficult to control, the teachers warned.
Following the teachers movement an uneasy calm was prevailing on all the public university campuses.
Talking to The New Nation, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University (DU) Prof. A A M S Arefin Siddique and Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof. Farzana Islam echoing the same arguments said their teachers have to take huge workload to build up the students’ career.
DU VC Arefin Siddique said the problems should be solved through discussions.
“I think the government will pay attention to the teachers’ demand. And the situation will become normal,” he hoped.
JU VC Farzana Islam said they are eagerly waiting for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s call.
“We still believe our prime minister will understand us and she will call us to resolve the issue before the situation gets complicated,” she said.
Prof. Amena Akter Mohosin, Department of International Relations, Dhaka University told The New Nation that the ruling Awami League in its electoral pledges had given commitment to the teachers that it would announce a separate pay scale for the university teachers.
“But the government did not keep its words. It is very unfortunate and disgraceful to us,” she said.
She added a public university teacher has to handle minimum 120 students at each class.
“No country in the world but we in Bangladesh do this job everyday. We work hard all the time but it is disgraceful and discriminatory when senior professors are downgraded two tiers below senior secretaries,” Amena Akter Mohosin said.
Prof. Giasuddin Mollah, Department of Political Science, Dhaka University urged the government to sit with the teachers to resolve the crisis. Otherwise, the situation may deteriorate.
“There is no alternative but to hold dialogue between the teachers and the government to overcome the present situation. If the government wastes time, the situation will start deteriorating gradually,” he said.
Meanwhile, teachers of the country’s public universities will abstain from their works on September 13 and 17 to press home their demands.
On Tuesday, teachers of all the 37 public universities abstained from work terming the new pay scale ‘disgraceful’ for them.
Earlier on Monday, the cabinet, avoiding traditional selection grades and time-scale, approved the long-awaited pay scale for public servants.
