Over 1.20 lakh madrasa teachers-employees yet to join EFT

Once, teachers-employees of all MPO-enlisted educational institutions in the country used to receive salary-allowances through bank cheques. As a result, lakhs of teachers-employees had to suffer various hassles every month. To end this suffering of theirs, EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer) was introduced from January this year. Consequently, salary-allowances are credited to their own accounts at the end of the month. However, around 1.20 lakh teachers-employees of Alia madrasas across the country could not be included in this system.

These teachers-employees have complained that they are facing various hassles in receiving salary-allowances through the conventional method. As reason, they say, after getting the signature of the managing committee or ad hoc committee president on the MPO sheet, the salary bill has to be submitted to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) office. Alongside, the salary sheet with the president’s signature has to be submitted to the bank. If any institution does not have an ad hoc or managing committee, then after getting the UNO’s signature, the cheque has to be submitted to the bank. After completing various official tasks, salary is credited to own account by the 10th of every month. And if there is bonus, it takes even more time to be credited.

They further said, although the Directorate of Madrasa Education has been assuring to include them in EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer) through Maushi (Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education), in reality they have not even started the process. They do not know when this process will start and when they will be included in EFT.

It is learnt that the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (Maushi) has introduced the EFT system to enable private MPO teachers-employees to receive salary-allowances easily. From January this year, school-college teachers-employees are receiving salary-allowances through EFT. And from July, technical institutions have also come under this facility. But the only exception is the teachers-employees of around 9,000 madrasas in the country. Around 1.20 lakh teachers-employees are working in these institutions.

Meanwhile, teachers say no information has yet been sought from them to include madrasa teachers in EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer). They allege that even after contacting the Directorate of Madrasa Education multiple times, no response is being received.

On the issue, Lecturer (ICT) of Syed Ahmad Model Fazil Madrasa in Bogura Md Ripon Sarkar told The Daily Campus, due to not being included in EFT and receiving salary-allowances through conventional method, they are facing hassle. Besides, currently as there is no madrasa managing or ad hoc committee, signature has to be taken from the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). After taking this signature and submitting cheque to the bank, it takes about a week for money to be credited to account.

Deputy Director (Finance) of Directorate of Madrasa Education Dr K M Shafiqul Islam told The Daily Campus that he does not know about the matter. He advised to talk to Joint Secretary of the directorate Muhammad Mahbubul Haque. However, despite efforts, contact with him could not be established.