DU teachers\\\' work abstention today

Dhaka University (DU) teachers have announced a two-hour work abstention programme to protest against the newly-proposed national pay-scale.
Under the protest programme the university teachers will not take their regular classes from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm today (Monday) to press for implementation of their demands including restructuring their salaries.  
The Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) took the decision in an emergency meeting, a press statement said on Sunday.  
Earlier, teachers of the university rejected the government wage-structure terming it 'disgraceful and discriminatory' as their salary grades were downgraded by two steps.
The university teachers also demanded immediate revision of the proposed national pay-scale, keeping senior professors and senior secretaries of the government at an equal level of payment.
"Unfortunately, the planned pay-scale has downgraded salary-structure of the university teachers by two grades from that in the 7th pay-scale, which is disgraceful," DUTA general secretary Prof SM Maksud Kamal said.
He said in the proposed pay-scale salaries and other benefits of all government service-holders had almost been doubled, but the Pay Commission suggested a reduced scale for the university teachers.
The Pay Commission, led by Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, recently submitted the final report on the 8th pay-scale for government service-holders, proposing 20 grades. The pay-scale is supposed to be effective from next month (July).
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