The teachers of public universities resumed their indefinite work abstention programme across Bangladesh for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday while the officers and employees at the universities warned that they would stop all administrative work if the universal pension scheme for new recruits was not cancelled soon.
Since July 1, no classes or examinations were held in the public universities as the teachers started the strike paralysing the academic activities and pressing for their demand for the cancellation of the scheme titled Prattay,聽 made mandatory for new recruits.
The general staff of the universities also joined the strike, expressing solidarity with the teachers though administrative buildings at the universities were kept open.
After the weekend of Friday and Saturday, on Sunday almost no classes or examinations were held at the universities as part of the protest.
The Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association called for a boycott of classes, examinations and administrative work from the day Prattay came into effect on July 1 terming it as discriminatory.
A scheduled meeting, however, between the protesting teachers and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader,聽 also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, was not held on July 4.
The federation president, professor Md Akhtarul Islam, said that till Sunday evening the date for the next meeting was not fixed.
He, also president of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Teachers鈥� Association, vowed to continue their protests until their demands for the cancellation of the new pension instrument introduced by the National Pension Authority and an independent pay structure for the public university teachers would be met.
Expressing solidarity with the teachers鈥� movement, the Left Democratic Alliance, in a press release issued on Sunday, urged the government to meet the teachers鈥� demands soon and cancel the scheme.
抖阴精品 correspondents from different universities reported that the strike continued on Sunday.
Dhaka University correspondent of 抖阴精品 reported that the university teachers, officers, and employees observed the work abstention for the fifth consecutive day paralysing the academic activities.
From a sit-in protest at noon, DU Teachers Association general secretary professor Zeenat Huda vowed to continue the strike until their demand was met.
In the morning, from another sit-in in front of the administrative building under the banner of the Dhaka University Officers and Employees Unity Council, the leaders warned that if their demands along with those of the agitating teachers were not met then officers and employees of all public universities would stop all official work.
Jahangirnagar University correspondent reported that the university teachers and employees resumed their strike against pension scheme 鈥楶rattoy鈥� after a two-day pause on Sunday.
From a one-hour sit-in programme on the campus, the JU Teachers鈥� Association general secretary professor Shahed Rana said that the government should take steps soon by taking the growing academic losses into consideration.
Several departments and institutes of the university, however, took viva voce and laboratory tests amid the strike.
In a separate sit-in in front of JU new administration building, JU Officers鈥� association warned that they would keep administrative buildings of the universities under lock and key for an indefinite period if their demands were not met soon.
抖阴精品 Rajshahi correspondent reported that academic and administrative activities at Rajshahi University and Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology remained halted on Sunday as the teachers, officials, and employees continued their strike.
Addressing a sit-in programme, RU Teachers鈥� Association president professor Habibur Rahman alleged that the government and the ministries and departments concerned were responsible for the deadlock situation.
抖阴精品 Chattogram correspondent reported that the teachers, officials, and employees of Chittagong University, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Science University also observed the strike.
Meritorious students would be discouraged to come to the teaching profession, the protesting teachers said, calling the newly introduced pension instrument a conspiracy to destroy the education system.
Among the 55 public universities in the country, 35, which are represented by the teachers鈥� federation, had been affected by the strike, the federation leaders said.