The regulator of universities is set to finally cancel 'Rest and recreation leave' for the public university teachers and staffs as the ministries concerned have already rejected its appeal, sources said.
"We're just completing some official procedures to circulate the cancellation order to all public universities," an official at the University Grants Commission (UGC) said requesting anonymity.
He told the FE that considering the existing political situation, the UGC chairman asked the respective departments to hold up the order for a certain period of time.
"We've already shared the issue with some public universities and asked them to push the ministry individually as the issue is very sensitive, which may lead to teachers' movement," the official said.
He said although the universities' regulator had earlier applied twice seeking the ministry's nod to such facilities, the ministry verbally rejected the proposal, saying that public university teachers usually enjoy more leaves than those of other government officials.
"The Ministry of Education (MoE) recently replied to the commission's plea in the negative saying that it wouldn't allow the facilities to the group as they are receiving more benefits comparison with others", said UGC Director (Accounts and Finance Division) Muhammed Ibrahim Kabir.
Since 1999, the university teachers, officials, and employees have been enjoying 30 days as rest and recreation leave after an interval of every three years of their job regularisation.
"Though the government withdrew such facilities for the public universities in 2005, the university authorities had been allowing it following a verbal approval from the MoE", Mr Kabir said adding that the regulator had sent two letters to the ministry in this connection.
The issue came into spotlight as the regulator's audit team found that the universities are giving the facilities without having written document from the proper authorities.
He said following the audit team's findings, they have taken the issue with the ministry concerned and pleaded for a written order in this connection.
"Unfortunately, in consultation with the Ministry of Finance (MoF) recently the MoE gave the unwanted reply", Mr Kabir said adding that the letter also cleared its position saying that it couldn't be possible anyway to allow such leave for the community as they have already been enjoying more leaves compared to the other government officials.
During a calendar year, teachers of public universities usually enjoy holidays for almost 108 days including summer and winter vacations, but the leave does not include regular public holidays like Fridays and Saturdays while the other government officials enjoy only 24 days excepting general holidays during the same period.
However, the public universities strongly reacted to the government decision for not allowing rest and recreation leave for the community which is allowed for other government officials.
Protesting the government decision, Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers Association President Prof Dr Farid Uddin Ahmed said the community won't accept the decision.
"We will go for tougher agitation unless the decision is changed in favour of the community people" Mr Ahmed, also president of the Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA), threatened.
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