Teachers' strike enters day five
Staff Correspondent
The teachers and employees of the non-government high schools, colleges and madrasas continued their strike for the fifth consecutive day yesterday while the government is yet to decide about their demands due to disagreements between the education and finance ministries.On strike since July 6, the teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions held rallies, brought out processions and sent letters to the legislators yesterday. Their main demand is 100 per cent basic salary from the government exchequer. Meanwhile, Education Minister Osman Farruk agreed to increase the basic salary to 95 per cent from the existing 90 per cent, but Finance Minister Saifur Rahman declined to endorse it on grounds of fund constraint, education ministry sources said. The pro-government Shikkhak Karmachari Oikya Jote and pro-Awami League Jatiya Shikkhak Karmachari Front yesterday also demanded the resignation of the education minister, finance minister and State Minister for Education Ehsanul Hoque Milon for the anomalies in the education sector, failure to meet their demands and creating rifts among the agitating teachers. In addition, another faction of Oikya Jote declared to hold a grand rally at the Central Shaheed Minar today, following which they will march towards the Shikkha Bhaban. Besides, teachers of government colleges under the banner of BCS General Education Association, yesterday held a rally in front of the Shikkha Bhaban demanding introduction of departmental promotion, creation and upgrade of posts and upgrade of the government colleges to universities. They also announced to refrain from taking classes from July 23 to 25 and from August 5 to 10 and to go for an indefinite strike from August 11 if the government does not meet their demands by August 10. A silent procession was brought out following the rally that marched different streets in the capital.
| 
