Students of several departments at Chittagong University (CU) fear that the problem of session jam could worsen as the teachers have been continuing their abstention programme for last three days protesting the Eighth National Pay Scale.
The teachers under the banner of Chittagong University Teachers’ Association (Cuta), member of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA), observed work abstention programme yesterday for the third consecutive day of their seven-day long demonstration against the pay scale.
Though, the FBUTA announced to launch indefinite strike from January 11, Cuta started the demonstration before nine-day earlier.
The incident paralyzed the whole campus looming session jam fear among the students.
Campus sources said CU had introduced two day-Friday and Saturday weekend from January 1, 2016.
According to the weekend schedule, CU will remain closed 104 days out of 365 days this year.
Apart from that, CU had 60-day vacation in 2015 marking Eid-ul-Azha, Durga Puja, Eid-ul- Fitr including 23-day government holiday and other events.
Classes and examinations had also been shattered for one and half month due to indefinite blockade enforced by BNP-led-20 party alliance in January 2015. In line with the overall incidents, CU had been closed a total 128-day in last year.
Now, the ongoing teachers’ agitation has raised session jam fear among the students.
They demand to restore the academic activities as early as possible.
Abdul Majed, a 3rd year student of English department, said: “The students of the department usually have been facing session jam since long and it will be lingered if the teachers will wage indefinite strike from January, 11.”
“Our 3rd year exam schedule is yet to be done while our batch mates in other departments have sit for final year examination”, added the student who is the student under 2011-2012 session.
According to CU sources, Bangla, English, Economics, Finance, Math, Statistics and Physics departments’ students have been facing session jam.
Jaheda Akhtar Jeshi, a final year student of Bangla department said: “Government should address the teachers’ demands if they were in right track while teachers should also think about the students’ life.”
When contacted, Cuta’s general secretary Professor Kazi SM Khashrul Alam Quddusi said the university teachers only demanded to restore selection grade, time scale, and salaries for a certain percentage of the university professors that is equal to that of the senior secretaries.
“If our demands are not met, we will go to complete shutdown by halting all kind of activities from January 11,” he said.
He also said: “As per the decision of Cuta, we have observed the week-long work abstention programme while teachers will take classes in the weekend if necessary. Besides, the examination will remain out of the abstention”.
Cuta demanded a fresh pay structure restoring selection grade, time scale, and salaries for a certain percentage of the university professors that is equal to that of the senior secretaries, and all assured promises made by high-ups of the government to public universities.