Teachers from the primary to university levels have threatened to resume their movement from November to press for their demands on their pay structure. The teachers said they have given time to the government to fulfil their demands by this month, but no concrete steps have been taken so far in this regard. They also said though a Cabinet sub-committee has been formed to remove salary disparity, it is yet to hold a meeting to discuss the matter.
The Primary Assistant Teachers' Federation—a joint platform of Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Society, Bangladesh Primary School Teachers’ Association, Bangladesh Government Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association and Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Forum—is working to realise the teachers’ six demands, including restoration of time scale as well as selection grade and upgrading their salary to Grade-11 in the 8th National Pay Scale. Shahinur Al Amin, president of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Society, said, “We'll resume our movement. We started sending memoranda to 300 lawmakers from October 26 and continue to do so till November 5.” Amin also said teachers will hold grand rallies at the division level, including in Dhaka, on December 24 to press for their demands. Meanwhile, Selim Ullah Khandakar, secretary general of the BCS General Education Association, said, “We'll announce our next action after holding a peaceful sit-in programme in front of Shikkha Bhaban in the capital from 12 noon on November 1.” Public university teachers said they would wait till Saturday for some visible response from the government.
Prof. ASM Maksud Kamal, secretary general of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA), said, “We'll wait till Saturday for the government to respond. On Sunday, we've a meeting with the teachers. We'll take a decision on our next course of action that day.” He said public university teachers will go all out to realise their demands, as the new pay scale downgrades their status. On Thursday, education minister Nurul Islam Nahid had urged public university teachers to continue with their academic activities by assuring them that the government will protect their interest.