Nearly 600,000 teachers and staff of private educational institutions across the country have been deprived of their May salaries even after 8 June, casting a shadow of sorrow over their Eid-ul-Adha celebrations.
Member of Parliament for Cumilla-2 Selim Bhuiyan made the remark during a parliamentary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal on Monday.
The MP alleged that a particular group is conspiring to make the current government controversial by preventing the timely payment of teachers’ salaries.
“It is with great sorrow that I have to inform you that 600,000 teachers and employees of Bangladesh have been deprived of the joy of Eid-ul-Azha this time,” he said under a notice under Rule 71.
“Despite it being 8 June today, their salaries for May have not been paid. That teachers will not receive their salaries before Eid under the current government is completely unacceptable,” he added.
Drawing comparisons with previous administrations, Selim Bhuiyan said former president Ziaur Rahman first initiated the nationalisation of teachers by providing them with 50 percent of the national pay scale. He added that former prime minister Khaleda Zia introduced festival allowances for teachers and increased salaries by 20 percent.
“During the BNP government from 2001 to 2006, if Eid fell on the 15th of the month, the salary and allowances for that month would be paid even before that. But now, despite so much advancement in technology, why is it not possible to pay salaries on time?” he questioned.
The MP noted that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has reportedly decided to allocate nearly Tk4,000 crore to keep teachers’ retirement benefit board and welfare trust operational.
“When the government is allocating such a large fund for teachers, it is extremely regrettable that the salaries of 600,000 teachers remain stuck due to administrative negligence or conspiracy,” he said.
