The teachers continued their work abstention programme for the third consecutive day on Wednesday in public universities across Bangladesh demanding the cancellation of the universal pension scheme made mandatory for new recruits.
No classes or examinations were held, and administrative work also remained suspended in most of the universities.
The Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association called for a boycott of classes, examinations, and administrative work from the day the scheme, titled Prattay, came into effect on July 1.
Obaidul Quader, the road transport and bridges minister and general secretary of the ruling Awami League, is scheduled to meet the teachers鈥� leaders today, said the federation leaders on Wednesday.
The ministry senior information officer Shaikh Walid Faiej, however, said that they did not get any confirmation from the minister about the meeting till 8:30pm on Wednesday.
The newly introduced pension instrument is meant for newcomers to state-owned autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies.
The general staff of different universities also continued the strike for the third consecutive day, expressing solidarity with the teachers.
Teachers said that the new pension instrument introduced by the National Pension Authority was discriminatory and demanded the cancellation of the scheme and an independent pay structure for university teachers.
Meritorious students will be discouraged to take teaching as a profession, they said, calling the new pension scheme a conspiracy to destroy the education system.
抖阴精品 correspondents from different universities reported that the strike continued on Wednesday.
Dhaka University correspondent reported that the teachers, officers, and employees observed full-day work abstention for the third day by boycotting all classes and examinations.
At a sit-in programme on the campus, FBUTA secretary general professor Md Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan said that road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader had called them to discuss their demands.
鈥業f the demands are met, we will withdraw our movement, but if not, movement will continue,鈥� he added.
Earlier the National Pension Authority on Tuesday clarified few issues of Prattay instrument in the wake of countrywide indefinite work abstention by university teachers.
On the same day, finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said that the university teachers鈥� protest was illogical.
Dhaka University Teachers鈥� Association general secretary professor Zeenat Huda said that they rejected the explanation of the Authority and the statement of the minister.
She urged the minister to discuss the matter with teachers.
Along with teachers, the officers and employees of Dhaka University also observed the all-out work abstention on the day.
Only emergency works were done at the Registrar Building while all classes and offices were closed.
Our Jahangirnagar University correspondent reported that, under the banners of JU Teachers Association and JU Officers鈥� Association, the teachers and employees observed the strike for the third consecutive day halting most academic and administrative activities.
On the day, JU law and justice department held the viva voce of its final year students and the departments of biochemistry and molecular biology and geological sciences held formal classes.
While addressing a sit-in programme on the campus, government and politics professor Shamsul Alam demanded resignation of the finance minister for his 鈥榙isrespectful鈥� remarks.
JU Officers鈥� Association organised another protest rally.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Rajshahi reported that teachers at Rajshahi University and Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology continued the strike on Wednesday.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Chattogram reported that the academic and administrative activities at Chittagong University, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, and Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Science University remained halted on the day.
