Public university teachers will begin a work abstention starting today, following their earlier announcement as their demand seeking the cancellation of the mandatory Universal Pension Scheme Prottoy remains unmet.

The teachers have been protesting for over three months, but the government has not addressed their concerns.

The Prottoy scheme will apply to university teachers and employees of self-governing, autonomous, state-owned, statutory, and similar organisations who join from today onwards.

“We will start an all-out work abstention from today, which will continue until our demands are met,” said Bangladesh University Teachers Association Federation Secretary General and Dhaka University Teachers Association President Prof Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan at a press conference in front of Dhaka University’s Kalabhaban on Sunday afternoon.

The president of the federation, Professor of Shahjalal Science and Technology University Akhtarul Islam, General Secretary of Dhaka University Teachers’ Association Prof Zeenat Huda and other teacher leaders of the university were present on the occasion.

The Dhaka University Teachers’ Association has also announced a complete strike, including the boycott of classes and examinations, demanding the same.

This announcement was made by Professor Md Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, president of the association, and Professor Zeenat Huda, general secretary of the association on Sunday afternoon.

Zeenat Huda said all classes in all departments will be suspended during the strike, which include online classes, evening classes, and professional courses on Fridays and Saturdays. Teachers will also boycott all examinations, including midterm, final, and admission tests. Departmental offices, seminars, computer labs, and laboratories will be closed by the departmental chairmen. Meetings of the academic committee, coordination and development committee, and question paper coordination will not take place.

Additionally, she said that the programme for welcoming new students will not be conducted, and no selection board meetings will be held. Directors of various institutes will close their offices, classes, and examinations. Directors of research centres will refrain from organising seminars, conferences, and workshops.

Earlier in the day, at 10am, leaders of the University Officer-Employee Unity Council held a separate programme in front of Dhaka University’s administrative building.

They later moved to the Aparajeya Bangla monument at 11am and held a rally.

Convener of the council, M Abdul Motaleb, said, “We will continue to protest until our demands are met.”

Meanwhile, following the announcement of the teachers’ strike, Dhaka University authorities suspended all examinations indefinitely.

This was communicated in a circular signed by the University’s Acting Controller of Examinations, Himadri Shekhar Chakraborty.

According to the circular, due to unavoidable reasons, all examinations at the Kalabhaban and Curzon Hall examination centres have been suspended from today. However, examinations at affiliated colleges will proceed as usual.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor ASM Maksud Kamal expressed support for the teachers’ movement, saying, “We support the teachers’ logical movement. However, it is important to consider the impact on students due to the closure of classes and exams. We are attempting to resolve the matter through discussion.”

Similarly, the Jagannath University Teachers’ Association has also announced a complete strike to protest the Prottoy Scheme. Apart from teachers, other officers and staff councils also observed a full-day strike.

Jagannath University Teachers Association General Secretary Professor Mashrik Hasan, criticised the scheme, saying, “In this discriminatory scheme, the government will provide us a pension up to 75 years. What will happen if we face illness or hardship after that?”

Decision to be taken after monitoring situation: Education minister

Regarding the teachers’ strike, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said if a deadlock occurs at universities, the situation will be monitored and a decision will be made accordingly.

“Since the universal pension decision is not under the Ministry of Education, it is not possible to change or comment on it at this time. This country is a democratic one where everyone has the right to political and free speech. If the deadlock begins tomorrow, we will take action based on the situation,” the education minister said during a press briefing regarding the HSC and Equivalent Examination-2024 at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital on Sunday afternoon.