Non-MPO teachers reject Nahid’s assurance

Teachers and employees of non-MPO educational institutions, who have been demonstrating demanding enlistment under the government’s Monthly Pay Order (MPO) facilities, to end their agitation, have rejected the assurance of Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid.

The minister gave this declaration while going to National Press Club in capital Dhaka on Tuesday to break the hunger strike of the teachers who have been observing fast-unto-death for three days.

But the teachers rejected his assurance and announced to continue the strike as there is no specific time line.

Several hundred teachers from across the country have gathered in front of the press club since December 26 to demand that state-sanctioned institutions be included on the pay list. They started a hunger strike on Sunday.

MPO is the government's share in the payroll of the non-government educational institutions. Under the scheme, the government gives 100 percent basic salaries to the teachers of non-government schools. The teachers also get a lump sum amount as other allowances through the MPO.

According to the teachers, the number of non-MPO educational institutions is 5,242, where around 80,000 teachers are working without any pay, some for more than a decade.