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Why are university teachers left in a limbo? 

Published : Monday, 16 September, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 563
Dr Kazi S M Khasrul Alam Quddusi
In 2015, the salary grade of university teachers was unnecessarily lowered by the then government. Against this, there was a lot of movement under the leadership of the Federation of University Teachers' Association and the Chittagong University Teachers' Association was also very strong. After a prolonged movement and discussions, the government accepted a demand of the teachers. 

It wasn't really a new demand. It was basically taking away the existing grades and sending university teachers onto the streets for months and then returning the grades after rounds of insults.In 2024, Sheikh Hasina's government put university teachers in trouble once again by adding them to the universal pension scheme (in which the people of the country had no attraction or confidence). 

This time, even after a month's work abstention, Obaidul Quader remarked that the university teachers were unable to understand the scheme properly. The deposed PM at a press conference on July 14, severely trivialized the university teachers and advised them to get tired of the movement.

Everyone knows the subsequent story of the sacrifice and heroism of the students. When the lifespan of Sheikh Hasina's government, in the face of student movement was almost over, the autonomous institutions, including university teachers, were excluded from this pension scheme. In fact, it would be wrong to say that it was the result of the teachers' movement. 

In fact, the government did this in view of the intensity of the student movement. Like in 2015, in 2024, the Federation leaders did not even express hard feelings for the trivialization of the former PM. However, various forums strongly protested thedisrespect in 2024. In fact, in both the 2015 grade down -gradation and the 2024 pension scheme, a kind of teacher leaders claimed that the head of the government was misled by bureaucrats. It is ridiculous! 

By making them scapegoats, such leaders only tried to get mental solace by creating an unnecessary conflict between the teachers and the bureaucrats or they tried to conceal Sheikh Hasina's intention on the university teachers. If the former PM did not understand things properly, it was her incompetence and utter failure in running the state, which was seen in many cases and much more is now being revealed. 

In fact, once she became the PM in the 2014, she started becoming despotic. University teachers were one of the helpless victims of her autocratic behavior. However, the unimaginable humility of some teachers towards her and her party leaders might have given her the impression that university teachers have no self-respect and can be treated in whichever ways they want.

In fact, more than 1-2 percent of the teachers were not involved in such flatteries.Sheikh Hasina may be tried as the chief of advisor of the barbaric killings in this country, but Sheikh Hasina, her descendants or the Awami League leadership will, perhaps, never express any regret for the repeated insults of the university teachers.  However, my friends who are still enamored with Awami League, need to get this issue settled to sustain their politics. 

It is pointless to comment on the result of the latest movement by Federation. In fact, the effectiveness of this traditionally elected and patron-client style Federation has been proved to be very weak. I think the top leaders of the Federation need to introspect in this regard. At present, the capable and committed teachers of different universities including Dhaka University can form a meaningful alliance. 

In passing, the University Teachers' Network already played a very important role in the recent transition. The teachers of this network can play a leading role in bringing about a greater forum. An effective and integrated central university teacher leadership is the need of hour to build student-friendly universities,who will also be willing to and capable of reading the minds of thousands of university teachers.

It is not easy to shape up student-friendly universities. For a long time, the ruling party had some kind of occupation in almost all the universities. In the new context, the first task of the new administrations will be to ensure the coexistence of the students without any fear after distributing seats on the basis of merit in the halls and to ensure a free and fearless environment in the universities by arranging student union elections without any hindrance. 

In these difficult but vital tasks, acceptable and courageous teachers should be included so that the above tasks can be done objectively.There is still an atmosphere of fear in different campuses and the general students still do not feel safe on the campuses.
 
The new administrations will have to break this air of fear and come up with the real fruits of the recent student movement. New administrations must be committed to getting it done.A broader, meaningful, effective and integrated University Teachers' Groupcan play a helpful role in this regard. 

The writer is a Professor, Department of Public Administration, University of Chittagong



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