PM Tarique Rahman Initiates Plan to Clear Tk 2,000 Crore Teachers’ Arrears in Six Months: Mahdi Amin

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has taken an initiative to clear Tk 2,000 crore in arrears owed to teachers within six months of his government taking office, said his Adviser for Education and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin.

He made the remarks at a teachers’ rally organised by the Teachers-Employees Unity Alliance at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium in Ramna, Dhaka, on Thursday (October 8).

BNP Acting Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Adviser Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi attended the event as chief guest. State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam was present as a special guest.

MP and teacher leader Principal Md Selim Bhuiyan, Teachers-Employees Unity Alliance Secretary General Chowdhury Mugis Uddin Mahmud, Bangladesh Teachers’ Association Secretary General Md Zakir Hossain and others were also present.

“Given the contribution of teachers to Bangladesh’s democratic history and movements, the elected government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will remain highly sincere about any reasonable and justified demands of teachers and employees. Considering the government’s capacity and the overall circumstances, policies will be formulated and implemented quickly to fulfil every reasonable demand of the teaching community,” Mahdi Amin said.

Tk 2,000 crore initiative for retired teachers’ arrears

Mahdi Amin said the government supports any reasonable and justified demand of teachers, considering its capacity and the overall circumstances.

He said benefits and retirement allowances owed to retired teachers during what he described as the previous “fascist government” had remained unpaid because of corruption and mismanagement. According to Mahdi, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has arranged Tk 2,000 crore within six months of taking office to initiate payment of those outstanding dues.

“The current process is ongoing. In the coming days as well, the government will give the interests of teachers the highest priority,” he said.

The Daily Star has also reported that Tk 2,000 crore was recently released to clear outstanding dues of retired MPO-listed teachers.

More teachers to receive recognition

Speaking about the dignity of teachers, Mahdi said the government had increased the number of teachers receiving recognition on World Teachers’ Day.

“Previously, only 12 teachers were honoured on World Teachers’ Day. The current government has increased that number to more than 100. This number will be increased further in the future,” he said.

He said special initiatives would be taken to appropriately recognise teachers who had inspired school and college students during the previous government and who themselves faced attacks and cases. Mahdi said the elected government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would remain highly committed to the legitimate demands of teachers and employees in recognition of their contribution to Bangladesh’s democratic history and movements.

He said the government would formulate and implement policies quickly to fulfil the reasonable demands of teachers while taking into account its capacity and the overall circumstances.

‘One Teacher, One Tablet’ programme planned

Mahdi said a “One Teacher, One Tablet” programme was being introduced to increase teachers’ professional skills. Alongside the programme, the government plans to increase teacher training, create opportunities for higher education and research, introduce international teacher exchange programmes and expand industry-academia links, he said.

The adviser said necessary reforms in the education system would have to be completed by focusing on teachers and students at the primary, secondary and madrasa levels to take the country towards its desired goals.

“The teaching community is the main driving force behind the transformation and development of the state,” he said.

“To take the country towards its desired goals, necessary reforms in the education system must be completed by focusing on teachers and students at the primary, secondary and madrasa levels. The teaching community is the main driving force behind the transformation and development of the state,” Mahdi Amin said.

Government to consider teachers’ demands

Mahdi said the government was giving the highest priority to the interests of teachers and employees. He said various proposals and demands concerning teachers’ professional development and overall benefits would be given importance at the policy-making level.

He assured the teachers that education-friendly decisions would be implemented quickly through direct discussions at the policy-making level with the education minister, the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education and all relevant stakeholders.

Teachers’ role in Bangladesh’s political history

Thanking teachers for making exceptional sacrifices for the country beyond the boundaries of their profession, Mahdi said teachers and employees of educational institutions had taken strong positions in favour of the country, independence, sovereignty and democracy during every major phase of Bangladesh’s history.

He referred to the Liberation War, the anti-autocracy movement of 1990, what he described as the struggle against fascism over the past 16 years, and the recent July mass uprising.

“The democratic Bangladesh that stands today has behind it the long sacrifice and struggle of the teaching community,” he said.

Mahdi said teachers had been deprived of promotions, denied desired positions and subjected to imprisonment, repression and lawsuits in the past.

‘BNP took major initiatives in education’

Mahdi said that, according to history, whenever the BNP has governed Bangladesh, the party’s founder, late President Ziaur Rahman, and former prime minister Khaleda Zia had taken various effective initiatives in the interests of teachers.

He said major initiatives such as establishing schools and colleges across the country, establishing the National University and Bangladesh Open University, enacting the Private University Act and nationalising educational institutions had been initiated under BNP governments.

He also said the introduction of the MPO system to ensure teachers’ rights and social security, the establishment of the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA), and the establishment of the Retirement Benefits Board and Welfare Trust to protect the welfare and rights of retired teachers were landmark initiatives taken during BNP governments.

The Teachers-Employees Unity Alliance rally was chaired by its president Principal Selim Bhuiyan. Teacher and employee leaders from different parts of the country took part in the event.