Movement spreading

Teachers' associations at Dhaka and Chittagong universities yesterday rejected the proposed pay scale for public servants, saying it had downgraded, disgraced and discriminated against them and demanding that their scale be that recommended for  government bureaucrats.

Dhaka University Teachers Association (Duta) announced an emergency meeting with representatives of fellows in 36 public universities at the DU teachers' club on June 5 at 5:00pm to fix their next plan of action.

Chittagong University Teachers Association (Cuta) declared holding a protest rally and forming a human chain in front of the CU administrative building at 11:00am today.

National Pay Commission handed over the recommendations on December 21, 2014 to Finance Minister AMA Muhith, who says it would be finalised by July or August.

Several hundred teachers joined a human chain Duta organised at the base of Aparajeya Bangla, reports our DU correspondent.

They demanded a separate pay scale for teachers, upgrading the vice-chancellor's rank to that of principal secretary or cabinet division secretary, withdrawal of the recommendation to abolish selection grade and time-scale, provision to be provided cars like secretaries and allowance for books and research.

Duta President Farid Uddin Ahmed accused bureaucrats of only ensuring their personal benefits.

Prof Md Akhter Hossain Khan condemned a proposal on making public universities economically self-reliant, saying it was the government's duty to bear the expenses.

Cuta made similar demands at a press conference at its office around 1:00pm.

Selection grade is that offered to an employee when the time stipulated for promotion expires while time-scale is that offered for that period.