The Bangladesh University Teachers' Association Federation (BUTAF) has announced an indefinite strike demanding the withdrawal of the notification of the 'Pratyaya' scheme of universal pension. In this situation, Education Minister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel said to monitor the program of university teachers and take measures.
He said this at a press conference after the first day of HSC and equivalent examinations at the International Mother Language Institute auditorium in the capital on Sunday (June 30) afternoon.
To a question from the journalists, the Education Minister said that who will come under universal pension is the decision of the Executive Department of the government. The Ministry of Education is with the decision taken by the government. The teachers are giving their demands to the government, the government can decide on this. The Ministry of Education has nothing to do here.
He said that university teachers are not considered government teachers. They have their own structure. Discussions with teachers agitating by boycotting class exams to demand withdrawal of pension scheme verification are ongoing. The university teachers have given the program; the decision will be informed after observing it.
He also said that it is not appropriate to comment on the government's decision. And the pension scheme is a matter of the Ministry of Education and not the Ministry of Finance. From 2025, all government employees will be included in the universal pension scheme. We will discuss the issue of teachers again.
At this time, the HSC examination of Sylhet division will start from July 9, said the Education Minister.
The minister said that next year's examination will go further. This year there was an early flood. We will arrange for examination during dry season. The exam will be held in April next year.