JnU Correspondent

The teachers of Jagannath University staged a half-day strike and sit-in programme demanding withdrawal of the discriminatory pension notification issued by the Finance Ministry, inclusion of the university teachers in the promised super grade, and the introduction of a separate pay scale for teachers.

On Tuesday (25 June), the teachers held this programmeme at the call of the Jagannath University Teachers' Association (JnUTA), according to the pre-announced programmeme of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association.

In the programme, the teachers said that our movement is not an anti-government movement. This is the logical demand of our teachers. This movement is not for money, but for our dignity. The dignity of teachers is being undermined. The pension scheme did not initially have the 'Prottoy' scheme; it was brought in later and included university teachers. We have to make a united movement for the cancelation of this scheme.

In the programme, the former general secretary of the university's teachers' association and Professor of Chemistry Department, Dr. Abul Kalam Md. Lutfar Rahman, said, This is our logical demand. We are talking about the benefits of our profession. Countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal also have respectable pay scales for teachers. A lecturer's pay scale is higher than that of our professor in our neighbouring country, India, as well. The opportunities we currently have are also being cut off. We are teachers; we don't want agitation. I can't do research if I'm put on the street.

The General Secretary of Jagannath University Teachers Association, Associate Professor Dr. Sheikh Masrick Hasan, said we will not do any administrative or official work in this program. We will only do exam-related tasks for the students.

He said that from July 1, our programme will be on a complete strike; the dean of the faculties, the chairman of the departments, will not do any official work; the hall provost will not go to the hall; and other teachers who are in charge of different departments will not do their work. We are agitating for our students. We are conducting this movement so that they are not deprived when they come to this profession.