New Age | State university teachers’ strike enters second day

On Wednesday, teachers at various public universities in the country stayed away from work for the second consecutive day as part of a three-day protest demanding the cancellation of the general pension scheme notification for them, saying it was discriminatory.

There were no classes, but exams and emergency measures were carried out as these were exempt from the strike.

The strike, which began on Tuesday, is expected to continue until today.

Teachers have threatened to stay away from work completely from July 1 if the program is not withdrawn by June 30. They are also expected to observe a full day’s work abstinence on that day.

Chairman of the Bangladesh Shikshak Samiti Federation, an umbrella organisation of teachers of state universities, Professor Md Akhtarul Islam, told New Age that no one from the government had contacted them for a discussion till Wednesday evening.

Until our demands are met, we will continue the movement, he added.

New Age correspondents at various public universities and in different districts confirmed that teachers kept their planned abstention from work with demands for the abolition of the general pension scheme, retention of the existing pension scheme and introduction of a separate salary structure for teachers with professional benefits.

Previously, the Ministry of Finance had stated in a notification on March 13 that all civil servants and employees who enter the service of autonomous, self-governing, nationalized, statutory or similar organizations and their subordinate institutions on or after July 1, 2024, would be included in the general pension system.

Soon after the announcement, teachers at state universities began protesting and stayed away from work for half of the day for the first half of this month.

A correspondent from Dhaka University reported that teachers implemented the half-day leave programme between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. for the second consecutive day after the Eid holiday.

They also demonstrated with a sit-in.

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Teachers’ Union President Professor Mizanur Rahman said the strike was taking place between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. for the second consecutive day.

A Rajshahi correspondent reported that teachers of Rajshahi University and Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology committed half a day’s absence between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.

About one hundred teachers also held a short rally in front of the university administration building between 12:00 and 13:00 under the banner of the RUET Teacher Association to make their demands clear.

The Jahangirnagar University correspondent also reported that JU teachers went on strike on campus for the second consecutive day.

Chairman of the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology Teachers’ Association, Professor Md Abdul Hasib, said they too had observed the strike.