A total of 837 teachers in 226 primary schools in the Magura district have not been paid their monthly salaries for the last four months.
Among the schools, 80 are situated in the Magura sadar upazila, 53 in Shalikha upazila, 63 in Mohammadpur upazila and 30 in Sreepur upazila.
Sources at the District Primary Education Office said on January 9 last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had declared to nationalise all registered primary schools in the country. The declaration sent a wave of joy among the registered primary teachers.
However, after being deprived of salaries for four months, they now see no light at the end of the tunnel, said a number of teachers.
The concerned authority said the process of nationalising was delayed because the government had not issued the primary teacher’s gazette yet. However, the process was completed now.
They said the registered primary teachers were now being transferred under the “primary education directorate” from the “compulsory primary education directorate,” therefore the complication regarding their salary was born.
Taking advantage of the situation, some unscrupulous leaders of the Magura regional branch of the Bangladesh Teacher’s Association were exploiting the victims. They were demanding bribe from the teachers to resolve the issue over salary, the sources claimed.
Denying such allegation, President of Magura regional branch of the Bangladesh Teacher’s Association Abdul Kuddus said: “If any allegation comes against any of the leaders we shall expel him from our association.”
When contacted, Shinigdha Rani, a teacher of 5 no registered primary school in Magura, said she was in a miserable condition as she had not received her salaries for last four months.
“Every day we rush to the DPEO office to inquire about our salaries, but our crying goes unheeded,” she said.
Magura District Primary Education Officer ASM Shirajuddoha admitted that primary teachers were deprived of salary for four months.
He added that the problem would be solved soon.
