An indefinite strike by teachers and employees of public universities over pension scheme and student protests against the quota system in government jobs have left higher education in total disarray.
As both the movements are going on simultaneously across the country, classes and examinations at public universities have been suspended.
Many have expressed fears that if such a situation continues, the higher education system may collapse while vested quarters may fish in troubled waters.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which has remained out of power since 2007, extended its support to the ongoing quota reform and pension movements while the government was closely monitoring the situation.
The teachers and employees of 35 public universities have shut all academic and administrative since July 1, demanding abolition of new Universal Pension Scheme—Prottoy.
Students and job seekers are also staging demonstrations by blocking roads and highways across the country, protesting the High Court’s recent ruling to restore 30 per cent quota in public services for the children of freedom fighters.
Students, however, fear that they would face a session jam due to work abstention by teachers.
Against the backdrop, the agitating teachers said they would not shoulder the responsibility for the session jam. They also said it is
not only a movement of the teachers, rather this movement is for the dignity of teachers, employees and students of universities.
They have been compelled to continue the strike. And if their demand is met, they will make the loss of students by taking extra classes, they added.
Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury on Sunday said the quota issue is now under trial. “We must show respect to the rule of law and since it is still pending in the High Court. A definite verdict will be delivered by the court. So, commenting on it as contempt of court unless the final verdict is announced,” he said.
But the minister urged the authorities concerned to look into whether there is any conspiracy in the anti-quota movement.
“The conspirators try to create unrest cashing in on popular issues. We should not fall into trap,” he said.
The academic and administrative activities came to a halt as the public university teachers have continued with the work abstention programme.
In such circumstances, students have been facing problem due to the strike by the teachers and employees. Even the students are not being able to continue library work.
Teachers and employees of 35 public universities have been continuing the programme under the banner of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association demanding their exclusion from Universal Pension Scheme (UPS).
As part of the movement, the federation called for a boycott of classes, examinations and administrative work a day before the implementation of ‘Prottoy’, a new pension scheme introduced by the National Pension Authority.
The federation announced the programme to press home their demand at a press conference held at the main gate of Arts Faculty of Dhaka University on June 30.
Classes and exams, including regular, evening programmes, professional programmes, online and offline classes and the administrative activities remained suspended at all public universities, including Dhaka University, Chittagong University, Rajshahi University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Jagannath University, Jahangirnagar University and Khulna University.
Chairmen offices, hall provost offices, research centres, institutes, central library, dean offices, computer labs and seminars also remain shut.
Dhaka University Officers-employees, under the banner of Officers-employees Oikya Parishad, called a strike and protest programme demanding the cancellation of ‘discriminatory’ notification related to Universal Pension (Prottoy Scheme).
Officers and employees of other public universities also went on strike.
The Universal Pension Scheme started its journey on August 17, 2023 with four schemes: Prabashi, Pragati, Suraksha, and Samata.
Later, a new scheme, the Prottoy scheme, was introduced for the officers and employees of all autonomous and state-owned organisations.
