Primary school assistant teachers on Friday demanded upgrading of their salary scale to 11th grade of the National Pay Scale, rejecting the 13th grade.
The teachers, under the banner of Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers’ Alliance, made the demand at a press conference while threatening a countrywide tougher movement if the authorities did not meet the demand by December 15.
The press conference was held at Crime Reporters Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital.
At the press conference, teacher leaders said the teachers’ alliance has been agitating for five years, demanding 11th grade pay scale for assistant teachers.
Recently, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education sent a proposal to the Finance Ministry to increase salary of assistant teachers from 14th grade to 13th grade, which is not desirable for assistant teachers.
The Ministry of Finance rejected the proposal on September 8 this year replying that there was no opportunity to upgrade the salary to the 12th grade, and agreed to raise the salary in the 13th grade on November 7.
Speakers said that the salaries of all teachers will reduce in 13th grade, and even in the 12th grade the salary of the assistant teachers will not increase. The discrimination on grades will reduce, but the discrimination in payment will remain as earlier. Raising salaries in 13th grade is nothing but a joke with assistant teachers. Therefore, there is no alternative to 11th grade to eliminate pay discrimination.
At the press conference, rejecting 13th grade, the assistant teachers demanded to send a proposal to raise the salaries to 11th grade. If their demand is not met within December 15, teachers will go for a tougher movement, they warned.
Shaheenur Akter, on behalf of Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers’ Alliance, presided over the press conference, and Asaduzzaman read the written statement.
Among others, Md Aminul Haque, Md Enamul Haque, Md Ekhlachur Rahman, Abdul Wahab Sheikh, Sajjadur Rahman Khoshnbis, Abdul Rouf Shaheen, Ahmed Kaiser, Mansur Alam Tipu, Kabirul Islam, Md Al-Meraz, Shamsul Haque, Rafiqul Islam, and Biplob Chandra Das were also present.
