The NFTE announced fresh programmes yesterday at a press conference at its office in the city. The announcement came after an extended meeting of its district leaders on November 9.

The programmes include submission of a letter on November 12 seeking permission to meet the education secretary. NFTE would send letters from November 14 to November 21 urging certain people who were appointed on political considerations and contractual basis to resign.

NFTE will observe token hunger strikes in all districts on November 16 and in the capital on November 19. They would be protesting for not being allowed to meet the president/chief adviser and for not cancelling the contractual appointments.

The hunger strike will also be observed seeking withdrawal of the rule that educational institutions have to submit their incomes to the government and for allocation of Monthly Payment Order (MPO) for those who were deprived in the budget of fiscal year 2006-2007.

NFTE Chief Coordinator and Convenor Prof Quazi Faruque Ahmed alleged that NFTE is not being permitted to meet the president, who holds the education ministry, to solve their problems.

There seems to be no difference between the rule of the four-party alliance government and the caretaker government, he said.

He also pointed out that the president, upon taking the charge of caretaker government, failed to exhibit any noticeable progress in reforming and reconstituting the Election Commission.

"Constitutional experts have said the president has committed an impeachable offence by his recent comment regarding the form of the government," he added.

NFTE central leaders Mohammad Azizul Islam, Prof Asadul Haque, M Arzu, SMA Jalil and Bilkis Zaman were present at the press briefing.