Teachers’ strike highlights the importance of dialogue

The public university professors will get promotions to grade 2 and grade 1 of the eighth national pay scale without selection grade, a cabinet committee meeting decides.

Public university teachers yesterday extended the pause of their indefinite work stoppage over "discrepancies" in the new pay scale until February 23.

Classes resume at all the 37 public universities after an eight-day strike of the teachers, over “pay disparity”, ended upon assurance from the prime minister.

Agitating teachers under the banner of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association (FBUTA) consider tougher programmes over the new pay scale dispute.

Public university teachers, who are observing an indefinite strike against “pay disparity”, yesterday said they want to talk to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over their demand to end the ongoing crisis.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday criticised public university teachers for going on an indefinite work stoppage and asked them not to wage a movement at the expense of students' education. "Dignity cannot be achieved through halting classes and examinations of students. Such a move does not go with teachers," she said. "Students will not accept it if you continue protests against the new pay scale, boycotting classes ... You have to keep education at public universities operational," she said.

Public university teachers demanding separate pay scale postpone their demonstration till November 1 following an assurance by Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid.

Yet another meeting between public university teachers and Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has ended without major headway.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid reiterates assurances to solve public university teachers’ pay issue through discussions.

While briefing the media after the cabinet meeting on September 7, an eminent secretary suggested that the government was supposed to consider the maximum benefits of public servants instead of endowing a “particular profession” with greater facilities.