University teachers’ strike continues for 4th day

Teachers of all 37 public universities observed the fourth day of their indefinite strike protesting the “government inaction” on addressing their demand for removing the “pay disparity” with bureaucrats.

Under the leadership of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association (FBUTA), the teachers refrained from taking any classes including evening courses at the universities.

Earlier at a press briefing at Dhaka University, the federation’s president said that they will stop the work abstention within a short time.

"Teachers all over the country are observing the work stoppage spontaneously, but we want to go back to our classrooms soon through a fruitful solution, "Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed told The Daily Star.

Asked about the prospects of session jam, he said, "This might cause session jam and hamper students’ academic lives, but we know how to eradicate the plague. That is why we urge the government to take prompt action to smoothen the students’ regular academic activities."

Teachers of all the 37 universities have been protesting the 8th pay scale since May last year pressing for a four-point charter of demands, including the formation of a commission to initiate an independent pay scale for public university teachers.

Other demands include parity between senior professors and senior secretaries, and professors and secretaries in salaries and allowances; upgrading teachers' status in the warrant of precedence, and fair provisions of cars, foreign and government scholarships and other allowances between teachers and bureaucrats.