Vice-Chancellors Warn of Protests Erupting at Public Universities

VCs warn of protests

Vice-Chancellors have warned of instability at public universities if the pay scale proposed by the government is not reviewed.

At a meeting on July 08, 2015 (Wednesday) with the education minister, they also warned of demonstrations if their demand - selection-grade professors to be paid the same salary, allowance, benefits and status as senior-level secretaries - were not met.

Minister Nurul Islam Nahid urged the VCs to be 'calm' and said he had informed the president and the prime minister of the issue. He also said that the new pay scale was yet to be finalized.

The current salary structure puts university teachers in the same grade with the secretaries and major generals, but the proposed one lowers the pay of the teachers three to four tiers below theirs.

Teachers of different universities have been protesting against this for quite some time now and demanding a review of the proposed structure. They also want a separate pay scale for university teachers. On May 13, a secretary-level committee screened the Bangladesh Pay and Services Commission's recommendations and suggested the top basic pay at Tk. 75,000/- the minimum at Tk. 8,250/-.

The government said that the new pay scale will be effective from July 1 this year, but it's yet to be finalized. During Wednesday's meeting, Bangladesh University Council's acting President Md. Alauddin gave a memorandum to minister with arguments for a review of the pay structure.

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Account BenefitRajshahi University VC Muhammad Mizanuddin told the meeting: "The universities will become unstable if it's not reviewed. Steps should be taken to avoid it."

Khulna University VC Mohammad Fayek Uzzaman echoed him. "This is an effort to disgrace the teachers. Protests will erupt if this pay scale is implemented and it would be difficult to stop them."

Rangpur Begum Rokeya University VC AKM Nurun Nabi questioned whether the proposed pay was a conspiracy against university teachers. "It's an effort to degrade university teachers by creating a pay disparity".

Noakhali Science and Technology University VC M. Wahiduzzaman suggested the prime minister and education minister go for a separate pay scale for teachers.

Dhaka University VC AAMS Arefin Siddique told the meeting that he hoped the issues will be resolved through discussions.

After hearing the VCs, the minister said the new pay structure was not final, so the teachers need not take the trouble of taking to the streets. "I have written to the president and prime minister about your demands. DO letters have been sent to all concerned including Cabinet secretary and public administration secretary", Nahid told the VCs.