Teachers of at least 35 public universities on Wednesday abstained from all official duties - academic and administrative - for the third consecutive day to realise their demand to withdraw the illogical and discriminatory Prottoy Scheme under the Universal Pension Scheme.
In the meantime, the government has reached out to teachers leaders to discuss the matter.
Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association University General Secretary Prof Md Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan said they were scheduled to meet Awami League General Secretary and also Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today (Thursday).
He said teachers have already talked to Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury in this regard.
"We will sit with Obaidul Quader tomorrow. We want the government to accept our demand. Whenever it is accepted, we will go back to classes," Prof Nizam, also President of Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA), said at a press conference at DU Arts Faculty on Wednesday.
He added, "We have presented our three-point demand. Until our demand is fulfilled we will continue our protest programme against Prottoy Scheme."
Speaking at the press conference, DUTA General Secretary Prof Zinat Huda rejected the Finance Ministry press statement issued on Tuesday (July 2) clarifying the introduction of Protty scheme.
She said, "We reject the confusing press release issued by the Finance Ministry."
Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry on Monday issued clarifications on the Prottoy Scheme.
According the clarification, Prottoy Scheme is designed to include employees of self-governed, autonomous, state-owned, and statutory organisations under the Universal Pension Scheme and aims to establish a sustainable pension system for all citizens.
DUTA Executive Member Prof Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan protested the Finance Ministers remark, teachers demand unreasonable.
He said the Minister should have commented after learning about the Prottoy Scheme.
DU officers and employees have also been observing complete work abstention since July 1.
Since then, they hold one-hour sit-in programme in front of the Registrar Building of the university.
Speaking at the Wednesday sit-in programme, DU officers and employee leaders said the Finance Ministry should resign for the contentious Scheme and for issuing justification of the Scheme.
Our Jahangirnagar University (JU) Correspondent added that teachers, officers and employees of the university also observed full-day work stoppage on Wednesday, demanding the withdrawal of Prottoy Scheme.
Our Jagannath University (JnU) Correspondent reported that teachers, officers, and employees staff for the same demand.
They held the sit-in at the universitys Shaheed Minar premises from 12:00pm to 1:00pm, while officers and staff held their sit-in in front of the New Academic Building.
JnU Teachers Association General Secretary Prof Shaikh Masrick Hasan said teachers of the university will continue the movement until the government accepts their demands.
Mentioning Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Alis recent remark that the teachers movement is unreasonable, Prof Masrick said, "I believe they have not studied the matter thoroughly. Our demand is legitimate."
The Finance Ministry, in a notification on March 13, announced that all officers and employees joining autonomous, self-governing, nationalised, statutory or similar organisations and their subordinate institutions on or after July 1, 2024, would be included in Prottoy Scheme under the Universal Pension Scheme.
Since the announcement by the Finance Ministry, teachers, officers and employees of public universities held protest demonstrations on campuses across the country.
