Public university teachers yesterday, for the third time, gave an ultimatum to the government till March 6 to remove salary discrimination from the eighth National Pay Scale. Leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA) said they hoped their demands would be fulfilled at the Cabinet Sub-committee meeting led by the Finance Minister, to be held on March 6. They warned of a tougher movement if their demands are not fulfilled within the new deadline.
The teachers stated they would hold a general meeting on March 8 and take a decision about the next course of action to realise their demands in a respectable way. The ultimatum came yesterday at a press conference organised by the FBUTA at the Dhaka University Club auditorium.
Secretary General of FBUTA Prof ASM Maksud Kamal said, “We had four meetings with the Cabinet sub-committee on salary discrimination. We hope we have been able to prove our logical demands at these meetings. On March 6, the sub-committee will hold a meeting in this regard. We hope the teachers’ demands will be fulfilled and the long-term movement of teachers can end.” He remarked that they had been continuing with their movement for the last 10 months. “We have given time to the government again and again so that students’ schedules are not hampered. If our demands are not fulfilled by March 6, we plan a general meeting of the Federation on March 8 and tougher action will be announced then,” he added.
Earlier on February 4, the teachers gave an ultimatum to the government till February 23 to fulfill their demands within the specified time, which they extended to March 6, in view of the sub-committee meeting.
Earlier, the teachers went on indefinite work abstention from January 11-19, suspending all classes and exams. On January 18, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured them to address their issue. On January 19, the teachers withdrew their program till February 3 and told the government to fulfill their demands in a respectable manner.