Education Ministry to Issue Notification on Teachers’ House Rent Hike Today

The interim government has decided to increase the house rent allowance for MPO-enlisted teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions to 15% of their basic salary, to be implemented in two phases. The notification for the first phase, providing a 7.5% increase, will be issued today, Tuesday, 21 October.

A source from the Education Ministry confirmed this to The Daily Campus on Tuesday. The decision was made following a meeting between Education Adviser Professor C R Abrar and protesting teacher leaders.

An official from the Ministry present at the meeting told The Daily Campus that teachers and employees will receive 7.5% of their basic salary as house rent allowance in the current fiscal year. The remaining 7.5% will take effect from the next fiscal year. The Finance Ministry is expected to issue a notification on this matter soon.

Meanwhile, MPO-enlisted teachers and employees have been staging an indefinite hunger strike at the Central Shaheed Minar, demanding a 20% house rent allowance along with two other demands.

On Monday evening, Delawar Hossain Azizi, Member Secretary of the MPO-Enlisted Institutions Nationalisation Aspirants Alliance, told journalists, “On Tuesday, we will hold a procession with black cloth tied around our mouths. Those unable to join at the Central Shaheed Minar will observe sit-in programmes at district and upazila headquarters from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM daily.”

He further warned, “Many are falling ill during the hunger strike. If any loss of life occurs during this protest, the Education Adviser will bear the responsibility.”

On Monday, a protest rally at the Shaheed Minar was joined by BNP leader Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie. He stated, “The government’s announced 5% house rent allowance is insufficient. The government must consider this issue with special attention.”

Expressing solidarity with the teachers’ demands, Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman, Joint Secretary General of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, along with representatives from several other political parties and students from various educational institutions, also joined the movement.

Since 12 October, MPO-enlisted teachers and employees have been holding programmes including sit-ins at the National Press Club and Central Shaheed Minar, processions towards the Secretariat, and road blockades at Shahbagh intersection.

The teachers’ three-point demands include: a house rent allowance at 20% of the basic salary, an increase in medical allowance from Tk 500 to Tk 1,500, and a festival allowance raised from 50% to 75% of the basic salary.