Staff Reporter :Teachers of all public universities across the country observed a day-long work abstention on Tuesday, demanding a separate wage structure for the university teachers and protesting what they claimed discriminatory and biased proposals under the eighth national pay scale. Classes and examinations were suspended at all the 37 public universities due to the teachers’ work abstention programme. The teachers said they have been staging demonstrations with a view to realizing the rights of teachers for three months to draw the attention of the policymakers without hampering academic activities. They threatened to go for tough movement if their demand were not meet within the current month. They also said the position of teachers has been brought down by two steps in the new pay scale, which is disgraceful for them.The work abstention programme was held at all the public universities following the call of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA). “We want a separate pay-scale. If our demand is not fulfilled by the current month, we will go for tough movement,” President of FBUTA and also Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed told The New Nation on Tuesday. He said public university teachers are disappointed at the cabinet’s approval on the eighth national pay scale, without considering their demands.Professor Farid Uddin said the agitation was held in all the 37 public universities across the country on Tuesday.The FBUTA staged a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Mina in the capital. The programme began around 8:00am which continued till 5:00pm.Hundred of teachers staged demonstration at Aparajeyo Bangla on the Dhaka University campus in the morning. No classes and examinations were held in the university.Teachers are provided the highest payment in different countries even in neighbouring India but it is absent in Bangladesh, said Prof Mritunjoy Kundu, General Secretary of SAUTA.Our JU correspondent reports: Jahangirnagar University Teachers Association staged a sit-in before the Arts and Humanities building.Our CU correspondent adds: Chittagong University Teachers Association observed work abstention, terming the new pay scale “discriminatory and unequal”.The teachers of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) led by its Vice-Chancellor Professor Jahangir Alam observed the programme through bringing out a rally on the campus.The teachers of Barisal University also observed the work abstention programme. Our Rangpur correspondent reports: During the work abstention, Begum Rokeya University Teachers Association demanded cancellation of the proposed national pay scale terming it “disgraceful and discriminatory”.Our Moulvibazar correspondent adds: Sylhet Agricultural University Teachers Association (SAUTA) sought immediate revision of the proposed pay scale.Our Rajshahi University correspondent reports: Teachers of Rajshahi University and Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology also observed the work abstention programme.Teachers of Khulna University went on work abstention and staged sit-in on the campus. Vice-chancellor Mohammod Fayekuzzaman was present there on the occasion. Islamic University correspondent reports: Teachers of the university observed work abstention and staged sit-in. Noakhali Science and Technology University observed the work abstention on the Shaheed Minar premises and brought out a rally on the campus. No class and examination was held in the university. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Tuesday said the university teachers are demonstrating against the new pay scale for the public servants due to dearth of knowledge.”The teachers’ programme to abstain from work has no justification. They have no idea about what the new scale has offered to them (teachers),” he said.The minister was speaking to the newsmen at the secretariat, about the implications of the new pay scale, endorsed by the cabinet on Monday.”I can’t understand exactly how they were dishonoured,” Muhith regretted.He also underlined the need for addressing the “corrupt practice” committed by the university teachers.The minister said: “Every professor gets promoted without much hassle and eventually they promote the associate professors according to their whim. It was noticed that there are 10 lecturers whereas above them, one thousand professors are posted.””Does it make sense? It is not fair that only those at the upper echelon (of teachers) would be promoted.”The finance minister mentioned that the relevant cabinet committee would be duly informed of this. “We’ll control the university staff the way we manage the bureaucracy.”The government on Monday endorsed new pay scale for civil servants with a minimum basic salary of Tk 8,250 and maximum of Tk 78,000 per month.
