Directorate of primary education has notified over 3,000 government primary school teachers across the country asking them to explain why action would not be taken against them for holding work abstention. Bangladesh Prathamik Shikkhak Oikya Parishad spokesperson Badrul Alam said that he received complaints from over 3,000 teachers from districts that they were asked on Thursday to submit explanations to the Thana primary education officers in three working days.
“Show-cause notices were served for holding work abstention for two hours on October 14, three hours on October 15, half day on October 16 and full day on October 17 at the respective schools demanding salary scale upgrading,” Badrul Alam said. Badrul, also president of Bangladesh government primary head teachers association, said, “We will reply to the notices. But, all primary school teachers will organise greater movement if action is taken against any of us.”
Earlier from a rally held in Dhaka on October 23, the primary school teachers threatened to boycott the primary education completion examination scheduled to begin on November 17 unless their demand for upgrading salary scale was met by November 13. They also threatened to lock all 65,626 government primary schools of the country if their demands for upgrading salary scale of the assistant teachers from 14 to 11 grade while for head teachers from grade 11 to grade 10 were not fulfilled.
They said that the teachers were paid less compared to officials of equivalent status working with other departments and agencies. Bangladesh Prathamik Shikkhak Oikya Parishad convenor Md Anisur Rahman said he met the directorate of primary education officials on Sunday and expressed concerns over the ‘authoritarian attitude’.
“For discouraging teachers to attend our October 23 rally, the directorate had earlier issued a circular asking them not to leave work stations without permission even though all schools remained closed on the day for Akheri Chahar Shomba,” he said. He also added that the association leaders would seek a meeting with the state minister for primary and mass education today to resolve the problem.
State minister for primary and mass education ministry Md Zakir Hossain rejected holding any meeting with government primary school teachers soon for not keeping his request for not holding the rally in Dhaka. “I will discuss with the ministry officials on the show cause notices,” he said.
Primary and mass education secretary Md Akram-Al-Hossain said that actions would be taken as per the government service rules. “They are government officials not trade union leaders,” Akram said.
