The indefinite strike of teachers and employees of public universities is underway across the country for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, demanding their exclusion from the ‘discriminatory’ pension scheme.

The Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association called for a boycott of classes, examinations, and administrative work a day before the start of the implementation of Prattay, a new pension scheme introduced by the National Pension Authority.

The federation announced the programme to press home their demand from a press conference at the main gate of Arts Faculty of Dhaka University.

Besides, the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) also issued a notice addressing the teachers of the university on Sunday.

Classes and exams including regular, evening programmes, professional programmes, online and offline classes, and administrative activities have been 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.

Chairman offices, hall provost offices, research centres, institutes, central library, dean offices, computer labs and seminars also remained shut.

Dhaka University officials and employees, under the banner Officers-Employees Oikya Parishad, called on strike and protest programme demanding the cancellation of ‘discriminatory’ notification related to the Universal Pension Scheme.

Officers and employees of other public universities also went on strike.

The Universal Pension Scheme started its journey on 17 August 2023 with four schemes – Probashi, Pragati, Suraksha, and Equality.

Later, a new scheme, Prattay, was introduced for the officers and employees of all autonomous and state-owned organisations.