Teachers of at least 40 public universities on Wednesday abstained from work for the eighth day demanding withdrawal of the newly introduced Prottoy Scheme, labeling it as illogical and discriminatory.
Leaders of the Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) at a sit-in demonstration in front of DU Arts Building said public university teachers began the movement against the contentious Prottoy Scheme to ensure better future of those joining the teaching profession in future.
DUTA General Secretary Prof Zinat Huda said, "Those already under the existing pension scheme will not be included in the new scheme. Instead, those recruited from July 1 onwards will come under this scheme. We have nothing to lose or gain. We are fighting for future generations entering the teaching profession."
Prof Huda described the Prottoy Scheme as a manmade disaster.
Echoing, DUTA President Prof Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan said, "The movement will continue until the government accepts our three demands."
Their demands include withdrawal of the Prottoy Scheme, placing teachers in super grade and introduction of a separate salary structure for teachers.
DUTA President and General Secretary declined to comment on the ongoing students protest against quotas in government jobs, calling it a sub judice issue.
Our Jahangirnagar University (JU) Correspondent reported that JU Teachers Association (JUTA) continued complete work abstention and sit-in demonstrations to realise their demand for withdrawal of the Prottoy Scheme.
On Wednesday, JU teachers held a sit-in protest at the premises of Social Sciences Faculty on the campus from midday to 1:00pm.
JUTA President Prof Motaher Hossain decried governments indifference to address the demands of teachers.
Prof Motaher said JU teachers would not return to classes until their demands were accepted.
Our Jagannath University (JnU) Correspondent reported that teachers of the university held sit-in demonstration at Central Shaheed Minar premises from midday to 1:00pm.
The Federation of Bangladeshi Public University Teachers Association (FBUTA) President Prof Md Akhtarul Islam, speaking at the JnU teachers sit-in protest, said, "I am confident that once discussions begin, the Prottoy Scheme will be abolished because it is clear that there is no valid argument in its favor."
Acting President of JnU Teachers Association Prof Momin Uddin expressed frustration over governments indifference to the teachers demands.
Prof Momin expects Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address their demands.
Officers and employees of several public universities also held sit-in protests on their respective campuses on Wednesday morning, demanding the withdrawal of the Prottoy Scheme.
The Finance Ministry, in a notification on March 13, announced that all officers and employees joining autonomous, self-governing, nationalised, statutory or similar organisations and their subordinate institutions on or after July 1, 2024, would be included in Prottoy Scheme under the Universal Pension Scheme.
Since the announcement of the Finance Ministry, teachers, officers and employees of public universities held protest demonstrations on campuses across the country.
They said Prottoy Scheme will curtail many of their existing benefits.
