The teachers of Dhaka University (DU) and Jagannath University (JnU) observed a half-day work abstention from 8am to 1pm on Tuesday, demanding the cancellation of the new universal pension scheme issued by the finance ministry, terming it discriminatory.
Following the work abstention at Dhaka University, the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association (FBUTA) held a press conference on the ground floor of the Arts Building of Dhaka University at around 1pm.
“This is our fight to survive. We are not protesting against the government,” said Dr Zeenat Huda, the general secretary of DU teachers' association.
“The departments will be off, the provosts of the halls will not go to the hall offices, the deans of the faculties will not schedule any new examinations, every seminar and symposium will be off, and the research centres and the institutes will be off from July 1 if the demands are not met within this month,” she added.
In a written speech at the conference, DU teachers' association President Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan said that the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association (FBUTA) observed a half-day work abstention in all public universities on Tuesday as part of the ongoing movement demanding the withdrawal of the discriminatory pension scheme issued by the Ministry of Finance on March 13, inclusion of university teachers in super grade, and the introduction of a separate pay scale for teachers.
Since the issuance of the 13th notification, the teachers have been systematically carrying out various programs to date.
Professor Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan said: “If no effective steps are taken to withdraw the pension scheme by June 24, and if university teachers are not included in the super grade and a separate pay scale for teachers is not introduced, a half-day work abstention will be observed in all public universities of Bangladesh on June 25, 26, and 27. A full-day work abstention will be observed on June 30, and an all-out work abstention will be observed in the public universities from July 1 until the demands are realized.”
On the other hand, the work abstention program at Jagannath University (JnU) was announced by the Jagannath University Teachers Association.
Jagannath University Teachers Association General Secretary Dr Shaikh Mashriq Hasan said: “We observed a half-day strike today (Tuesday) demanding the cancellation of the pension scheme. None of our teachers are taking classes online. Apart from this, we are also conducting sit-in program in our teachers' lounge.”
Earlier, the teachers organized a human chain on May 26 and a two-hour strike on May 28 was organized by the Jagannath University Teachers' Association for the same demand.
Our Dhaka University correspondent Mahathir Mohammed contributed to the story.