Public university teachers across the country expressed outrage over Finance Minister AMA Muhith’s comment on their movement against the Eighth National Pay Scale.
Muhith at a press briefing on Tuesday had said the public university teachers, who are among the most educated in the country, were taking a stand against the pay scale due to their lack of knowledge.
The teachers strongly condemned the minister’s comment and said it was offensive and degrading.
The Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA) issued an official statement last evening, where it demanded that the minister issue an apology within 24 hours.
Signed by FBUTA President Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed and General Secretary Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, the statement reiterated the teachers’ previous demands and hoped that the government would fulfil their demands without any delay.
If the teachers’ demands are not met, the statement said, then they would be forced to go on tougher movement.
Meanwhile, teachers in different universities staged protests and, in some case, observed work abstention for second day in a row demanding immediate retraction of the minister’s comment.
The teachers have been protesting the new pay scale for a while, as well as advocating their four-point charter of demand which includes formation of a commission to initiate an independent pay scale for public university teachers.
The demands also include immediate revision of the pay scale and keeping senior professors and senior government secretaries on the same pay grade.
The government has recently formed a committee comprising senior ministers to review the pay scale and sit with the public university teachers in order to resolve the issue – a move that the teachers appreciated.
Leaders of the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance called for the protesting teachers to resolve the issue with the government through discussion and stop boycotting classes.
However, the BNP-led 20-party alliance has expressed support for the teachers’ movement.
Dhaka
Academic activities at Dhaka University went back to normal yesterday as the FBUTA had no programmes scheduled, our DU correspondent reported.
But the teachers expressed solidarity with the FBUTA statement and said tougher protest would follow unless their demands were met.
The DU Teachers’ Association released a statement last evening, asking Muhith to resign for his “offensive and unacceptable” comments.
Meanwhile,Jahangirnagar University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) launched a two-day work abstention yesterday protesting the comments.
“The finance minister’s comment is offensive, unexpected and irrelevant,” said JUTA President Prof Khabir Uddin.
Chittagong
Pro-Awami League teachers’ bodies at Chittagong University and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) yesterday condemned Muhith’s comments, warning stern programmes unless the minister withdrew his remarks as early as possible.
Khulna
Teachers at Khulna University and Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) said they were outraged by the degrading comment.
Kuet Teachers’ Association’s President Prof Golam Quader said: “We are not giving any importance to what he [Muhith] said. Our movement is logical and on track. We are fighting for our rights, and every teacher is taking part in it, regardless of their political ideology.”
Rajshahi
Teachers at Rajshahi University formed a human chain protesting Muhith’s comments and vowed to launch tougher movement if the minister did not withdraw the remark.
Sylhet
In Sylhet, teachers of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU) condemned the comments and said it was deeply discouraging for anyone aspiring to become a teacher.
Other districts
In Mymensingh, teachers at Jaitya Kabi Nazrul Islam University boycotted classes on Tuesday in protest of the discriminatory and humiliating pay scale.
Teachers at Comilla University also started boycotting classes and exams until Sunday; teachers at Kushtia Islamic University announced work abstention today; teachers at Noakhali Science and Technology University will also observe work abstention today.
Teachers at Gopalganj Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University brought out a procession protesting the new pay scale on Tuesday.