M M Jasim :The public universities’ teachers remained rigid about their stance to boycott admission tests until realisation of their demands. Professor Maksud Kamal, Secretary General of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA) told The New Nation Saturday that the teachers of almost all the universities gave their opinion in favour of not holding admission tests before resolving the ongoing situation. “We are protesting against the irrational decision of the government. We don’t want any unstable situation in the country’s educational institutions. We will meet with the Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and some other ministers before October 6. If they fail to give us any satisfactory decision, then we would have no other alternative but to go for tough movement,” he said. Maksud Kamal said that the association leaders would sit with the teachers’ representatives to decide about the next course of the action to be started from October 6. “We urged the government to resolve the crisis before Eid. But the government has failed to do that.” “We want an amicable solution. Hope, the government would realize the situation on time,” he said. More than 2.5 lakh teachers of all the government educational institutions across the country are on the movement.Meanwhile, Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers’ Federation on Thursday announced to observe four-hour work abstention from October 4 to 8 and full day work abstention from October 10 to 14 in all primary schools across the country to press home their 6-point demand, including blotting out of discrimination in the 8th National Pay Scale.They will also observe token hunger strike on October 15 from 9am to 3pm in front of the National Press Club.The announcement came from a meeting of the organization held at its makeshift office in the city with its president M Jahidur Rahman in the chair.The teachers’ movement, which gained momentum after the Cabinet approved the 8th Pay Scale on September 7, has left students and guardians in to the state of a grave concern.College and secondary school teachers are also planning to go for tough movement soon. The college teachers also held a work abstention on September 10. However, realizing the teachers threat to launch tough movement, the Education Minister on Thursday urged the teachers of the public universities to carry on the regular educational activities, rather than getting worried about the Pay Scale.He also called upon the teachers not to be agitated or angry over the issue.The Cabinet, which worked for the pay scale of the government officials and employees, is also working for the Pay Scale of the public university teachers, informed the Minister. “Our government is very cordial to the teachers and we expect that the government will solve the problem as soon as possible,” said the minister.He also requested the teachers not to suspend classes, examinations, admission process and other educational activities.It may be mentioned that the teachers under the banner of FBUTA have been demonstrating since May 14 to press home their four-point demand, but they intensified their agitation after the government approved the new pay scale.They said that the post of selection grade professors (senior teachers) has been abolished in the new pay scale although bureaucrats have got a special grade for themselves.Among others, the teachers have demanded same Pay Scale and other benefits for the senior professors that has been given for the senior secretaries in the new Pay Scale.
