Education takes backseat as teachers protest 'Prottoy', students quota
Just a day after the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams began, two separate protests by public university teachers and students resulted in the suspension of classes and examinations on university campuses across the country.
With the demand for the withdrawal of the "Prottoy" pension scheme, teachers at public universities, including Dhaka University, started an indefinite strike on Monday (1 July), suspending all academic activities.
Students, on the other hand, organised rallies on campuses, including Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University, protesting the reinstatement of quota system for government jobs.
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"The protest against the new pension scheme has already begun with the suspension of academic activities. It will continue until the government withdraws the scheme," said Dr Akhtarul Islam, president of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association, an umbrella platform of the public university teachers.
Dr Md Nizamul Hoque Buiyan, president of Dhaka University Teachers' Association, said they have called on a two-day programme to press home the demand.
"University teachers have announced that they will continue their indefinite strike and will not return to classes until their three key demands are met," said Professor Motahar Hossain, president of the Jahangirnagar University Teachers' Association.
"We have been protesting for three months. Initially, we organised human chains and held one-hour and two-hour work strikes. Later, we observed half-day and full-day strikes while exams were ongoing. But now, we are at the end of our rope."
He added, "We are continuing this movement for the future well-being of our students. If the few benefits we have are revoked, talented students will no longer enter this profession. If talented individuals do not pursue teaching, the nation will be doomed."
Dhaka University Teachers' Association General Secretary Professor Zeenat Huda during a sit-in Monday said, "The Prottoy scheme is cutting our Eid bonus and Pahela Baishakh bonus. How much more will be taken away? We have repeatedly protested but have seen no results.
"We previously constituted a five-member committee and submitted a report with signatures of around 1,100 teachers. We even held a meeting with the education minister. However, no progress has been made since that meeting."
Prof Zeenat also said, "Those responsible for preventing teachers from advancing to the supergrade should be identified."
She also questioned the authority's power that allowed them to cut short the bonuses and provident fund contributions.
Academic activities at the University of Chittagong (CU) and the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) also came to a halt as teachers from both institutions joined the nationwide strike.
"We have requested the teachers to continue the classes. However, they refused," CU Vice-Chancellor Professor Benu Kumi Dey told The Business Standard.
Teachers' association leaders expressed concerns that the new pension scheme would deter talented individuals from joining the teaching profession.
Mahbubur Rahman, president of the CU Teachers' Association, said, "We, the teachers from all over Bangladesh, have been protesting for several reasons, including the cancellation of the universal pension scheme. However, we have not been contacted by the higher echelons of the government."
The teachers of CUET are in solidarity with the programme of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association, and we have also called for an all-out strike.
The Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association has been protesting the pension scheme since the Ministry of Finance issued the notification on 13 March.
Members of the association observed a half-day strike on 4 June, followed by additional half-day strikes on 25-27 June, and a full-day strike on 30 June. The federation announced an indefinite strike starting 1 July, until their demands are met.
In response to the teachers' agitation, CUET Registrar Sheikh Muhammad Humayun Kabir announced the suspension of all ongoing undergraduate and postgraduate examinations. The new dates for the postponed examinations will be announced later by the respective departments.
GM Sadiqul Islam, president of the CUET Teachers' Association, said, "The teachers of CUET are in solidarity with the programme of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association, and we have also called for an all-out strike."
On 13 March, the government introduced the Prottoy scheme for employees who join public universities and other organisations that fall under the scheme from 1 July 2024 onwards.
However, those who joined these institutions before 1 July 2024 will continue to receive pension benefits as before.
In addition to public universities, employees working in autonomous, state-owned, and other statutory organisations, along with their subordinates, will also fall under the pension scheme.
Protest against quota
Students of Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University held protests Monday against the reinstatement of quota in recruitment for first- and second-class government jobs.
DU students initiated a procession in front of the DU central library which ended in front of Raju Memorial after passing through the Faculty of Fine Arts with placards and festoons in hand around noon Monday.
"We are putting forward a four-point demand. We want the cancellation of the quota system," said a Law Department student Rezwan Ahmed.
He said the first demand is to reinstate the government's 2018 decision that abolished the quota system for the children of freedom fighters in government jobs (9th-13th grade). The second demand is to establish a committee to reform the quota system.
The third demand is to fill seats based on merit rather than quotas in cases where allocated quota seats remain unfilled.
Finally, they demand increased transparency in the administrative activities.
The agitators said that a mass procession will be held from the central library today at noon and a mass gathering will be held at the Raju Memorial in front of the TSC on 3 June.
Meanwhile, students of Jahangirnagar University also held a protest against the reinstatement of the quota system by blocking the Dhaka-Aricha Highway.
We are putting forward a four-point demand. We want the cancellation of the quota system.
The High Court on 5 June declared the 2018 circular abolishing the freedom fighter quota in government jobs illegal. As a result, the 30% quota for freedom fighters in first and second-class government jobs remains in effect.
The decision sparked student protests across the country against the quota system.
