Dhaka: Public university teachers had a meeting with high government officials on Thursday over their four-point demand that include formation of a commission to introduce an independent pay scale for them.

A delegation of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association (FBUTA), led by its president Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed and its general secretary Prof ASM Maksud Kamal, held the meeting with Principal Secretary to Prime Minister’s Office M Abul Kalam Azad, Senior Finance Secretary Mahbub Ahmed and Additional Secretary to the Education Ministry M Helal Uddin.

The meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office discussed various proposals placed by the FBUTA leaders over their demands, according to a PMO release.

It was decided at the meeting that discussion will continue and expected that the problems will be resolved soon.  

On 19 January, eight days after enforcing it to press for their demands, public university teachers postponed their indefinite strike until February 3 following the assurance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

At a meeting with the public university teachers at Ganobhaban on 18 January, the Prime Minister assured them of looking into their demands.

The public university teachers had been on protests since the 8th National Pay Scale was announced on May 14 last year, advocating for a four-point demand that includes formation of a commission to introduce an independent pay scale for them.

The other demands of the teachers are to remove the gap in salaries and allowances between senior professors and senior secretaries, and between professors and secretaries; upgrading the status of teachers in the warrant of precedence; and the provision of cars and other allowances for teachers similar to provisions given to bureaucrats.