MPO-Listed Teachers Stand Firm on Three Demands Including House Rent Allowance

Staff Reporter | PNN:

MPO-listed teachers are heading toward a final stage of protest to press for three demands: house rent allowance, medical allowance, and festival bonus. Teacher leaders have threatened to launch a long march toward the Secretariat if the government does not make a clear announcement regarding their demands by 4:00 PM today (October 14).

Although a proposal was made this morning to meet with Education Ministry Adviser Professor Dr. C.R. Abrar, teacher leaders rejected it. Confirming this, Principal Delwar Hossain Azizi, Member Secretary of the MPO Teachers’ Nationalization Expectation Alliance, said, “There is no longer room for discussion. The government can announce a decision tomorrow, but keeping it in the dark is unacceptable.”

He added, “We have suspended our activities until 4 PM. If no declaration on implementing our demands is made by then, we will go on a long march.”

Under the pressure of the movement, the government has shown partial positive responses. Officials from the Education and Finance Ministries have indicated that a proposal to provide 20% of basic salary as house rent allowance is under consideration. A joint meeting of the two ministries later this afternoon is expected to finalize the decision.

An Education Ministry official told The Daily Campus, “Regular communication is ongoing with the Finance Ministry. Calculations are underway, and we hope to deliver good news soon.” He further stated, “The house rent allowance may be increased to 20% as per teachers’ demands, and the remaining demands are also being considered positively.”

Meanwhile, Principal Delwar Hossain Azizi warned in a statement, “20 means 20, 1500 means 1500, 75 means 75. Anything like 19, 1499, or 74 is unacceptable. If our demands are not met, this movement will spread nationwide.”

He added, “We are on the threshold of victory. Until the three demands are fulfilled, we will not leave the streets. MPO-listed teachers and staff across the country are currently on strike and are not participating in any classes.”

The tension between teacher leaders and the government has created stagnation in the education sector. All eyes are now on the joint meeting of the Education and Finance Ministries this afternoon, which will determine whether the teachers’ movement will halt or intensify further.