Photo : Collected
Protests by teachers, officials, and staff demanding the cancellation of the ‘Prattay’ universal pension scheme have brought at least 35 universities to a standstill.
Classes, exams, and administrative activities are halted, and even emergency medical services at university medical centres are unavailable.
With libraries closed, students are unable to study. Teachers, regardless of political affiliations, are united in this cause, leading to a widespread paralysis across universities.
On Monday, teachers did not participate in the anniversary celebration of Dhaka University. Students, teachers, and staff are all united in their demands.
The scene is the same at all universities, including Chittagong University (CU), Jagannath University (JnU), and Rajshahi University (RU).
Even teachers who support the ruling party, Awami League, are leading the protest, gaining support from teachers affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP, and other political ideologies.
They argue that the protest is about preserving the dignity and honour of university teachers and opposing interference in university autonomy. All teachers are affected by this issue, leaving no room for neutrality.
Almost all universities, except a few, have organisations of teachers affiliated with AL, BNP, and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Sources say if demands are not met in the next couple of days, these groups will join the protests.
BNP supporters share a similar stance. Before the 12th national election, BNP-affiliated teachers campaigned against “dummy elections”. Teachers will unite in the movement against the universal pension scheme.
There are 55 public universities in Bangladesh, with 16,500 teachers and 34,382 officials and employees. Gradually, more are expected to join the movement under a single banner.
Teachers said the scheme will deduct 10% from their basic salary, which was not previously deducted, and offers no gratuity.
Currently, pensioners and nominees receive lifetime pensions, but under the new scheme, pensions will only be provided until the age of 75.
The existing pension system offers a 5% increment, which is not specified in the universal pension system. Additionally, the retirement age for university teachers has been reduced from 65 to 60 years.
Monthly medical allowances and festival bonuses are not included in the new scheme, undermining the family security of university teachers.
Fear of session jam
Students fear a new session jam due to the teachers' work stoppage. Previously, teachers observed half-day strikes on May 28 and again on June 25, 26, and 27.
A full-day strike was observed on Sunday. While classes were halted during these strikes, exams continued. However, the current full-scale strike has shut down both classes and exams, raising concerns about session jams.
Nur Uddin, a DU student, said, “We are already behind the academic calendar due to COVID-19 and floods. Now, the teachers' strike will create a session jam.”
Boycott of DU's anniversary event
As part of the protest, the leaders of the Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA) boycotted the 103rd-anniversary event of the university.
DUTA President Prof Dr Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan and General Secretary Dr Zeenat Huda did not participate in any of the anniversary events on Monday morning. However, many teachers attended the event. Zeenat Huda led a group of teachers in a sit-in at the entrance of the arts building.
She said they symbolically boycotted the event because of the announced strike but did not prevent willing participants from attending.
United front at DU
On Monday morning, DU teachers and staff began a comprehensive work abstention, bringing the university to a standstill. Classes, exams, and administrative activities were halted.
Sources said students broke the main entrance of the library in frustration. Most students support the protest, which led to the withdrawal of agitated students.
Teachers began their sit-in inside the main entrance of the arts building.
Their demands are threefold: Withdrawal of the Prattay scheme, inclusion of university teachers in the super grade, and introduction of a separate pay scale for teachers. DU Teachers Association Federation General Secretary Prof Dr Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan said on Monday afternoon that they have not received any assurances from the government, so the strike will continue.
Paralysis at JnU
Teachers and staff of Jagannath University (JnU) are observing a complete work abstention, demanding the withdrawal of the 'Prattay' scheme, which they deem discriminatory.
All physical and evening classes are suspended, along with midterm, final, oral, and entrance exams. On the first day of the strike, teachers gathered at the campus's Shaheed Minar.
JnU Teachers’ Association General Secretary Dr Shaikh Masrick Hasan said that the strike would continue until their demands are met. The Bangladesh University Teachers' Association Federation will decide whether to add new programs to the strike.
Complete shutdown at CU
Teachers, officials, and staff of Chittagong University began an indefinite work abstention, halting all classes, exams, and administrative activities. CU Teachers’ Association General Secretary Prof ABM Abu Noman, said that they oppose the pension scheme unless university teachers are excluded, as it would financially harm them.
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