The academic and administrative activities of 35 public universities of the country came to a halt as teachers and employees of those educational institutions went on an indefinite strike from Monday demanding the reinstatement of previous pension facilities instead of the newly introduced Universal Pension Scheme (UPS).
The teachers have been continuing the movement, including work abstention, under the banner of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association.
Like other universities, teachers and employees of Dhaka University have also been observing work abstention.
As part of the movement, the leaders of Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) did not take part in any programme of the 103rd founding anniversary of DU on Monday.
The DU authorities, including the Vice-Chancellor of the university and its teachers and students on Monday arranged various programmes marking the founding anniversary of the DU.
Nizamul Hoque, secretary general of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association, said, "We are observing work abstention at 35 public universities. We also boycotted the DU anniversary programmes on Monday."
Witnesses said there was a queue of students in the morning to enter the library, but it remained closed.
Students and others, many of whom are job seekers studying for government jobs, protested the closure and at one stage some attempted to break through the collapsible gate of the library.
After teachers abstained from work, the library's authorities decided not to open the library.
Professor Nasir Uddin Munshi, Librarian of the DU Central Library, said, "We were unable to open the library because no one showed up for work. Students must take the present circumstances into account."
Along with the teachers' work abstention movement, all DU staff members have also been observing work abstention and calling for the reinstatement of their previous pension plan.
Abdul Motaleb, president of the DU Officers' Association, said, "We will observe work abstention until our demands are met."
Earlier on Sunday, the federation announced the programme to press home their demand at 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.
Like DU, classes and exams including regular, evening programmes, professional programmes, online classes and offline classes and the administrative activities remained suspended at all other public universities including Chittagong University, Rajshahi University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Jagannath Univeristy, Jahangirnagar University and Khulna University.
Chairman offices, hall provost offices, research centres, institutes, central library, dean offices, computer labs and seminars also remain shut.
Dr. Sheikh Mashrick Hasan, General Secretary of Jagannath University Teachers’ Association, said, “We said that if our demands are not met, we will go on a complete work abstention. Till now our demands haven’t been accepted. So the classes, examinations and all other official works of our university will remain suspended. We are following the pre-announced programme.”
However, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury on Sunday said that his ministry is monitoring the strike of teachers of public universities across the country regarding the universal pension scheme.
"Considering the situation, necessary measures will be taken from the ministry in due course," he said.
He made the remarks while replying to a question from journalists at a briefing organised on HSC and equivalent exams at Segunbagicha in the capital.
The Universal Pension Scheme started its journey on August 17, 2023 with four schemes: Prabasti, Pragati, Suraksha, and Equality.
Later, a new scheme, the Pratyay scheme, was introduced for the officers and employees of all autonomous and state-owned organisations.
Despite attractive return scope after the specific tenure, people are enrolling in very slow space due to a lack of trust in the funds returning, said economists and sector insiders.
