Dhaka: Taking a swipe at Finance Minister AMA Muhith for his “offensive” remark about public university teachers, BNP senior leader ASM Hannan Shah Wednesday urged the government to meet the teachers’ demand for a separate pay scale.

The BNP leader also extended his party’s support to the teachers’ ongoing movement for the separate pay scale.

“The university teachers’ demand for a separate pay scale is justified one. The Finance Minister’s remarks about the teachers are tantamount to insulting them and it has reflected his disregard to teachers. We demand the government announce a separate pay scale for teachers refraining from making unguarded remarks about them,” he said.

Hanna Shah, a BNP standing committee member, came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after placing wreaths along with leaders and activists of Mohila Dal at party founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave at

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar marking BNP’s women wing’s founding anniversary.

Public university teachers began a nationwide strike on Tuesday to press for a four-point charter that includes the demand for a separate pay scale.

Criticising the teachers for the strike, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Tuesday said the most educated class of the country is waging a movement for lack of knowledge. “There’s no reason for their (university teachers) work abstention. They don’t even know what is there or not there for them in the new pay scale.”

Hannan Shah said, “We extend our party’s support to the teachers’ justified demand for the separate pay scale. We hope the government will come to its senses and put an end to the teachers’ movement by announcing a new pay scale for them as per their demand.”

The BNP leader also termed the new pay scale discriminatory.  He alleged that people are going through with the serious ordeal due to the skyrocketing prices of the daily essentials.

“They (govt) have now hiked the tariffs of gas and power to multiply the public sufferings. This regime is least bothered about public sufferings as it is busy cementing its power,” Hannan Shah observed.