Education cadre officers start three-day strike

BCS general education cadre officers have started a three-day ‘all-out strike’ from today, Tuesday on various demands, including resolving issues related to cadre-discrimination and promotion.

The work absention is being carried out at government colleges, government Alia madrasahs, government teachers training colleges, directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), education boards and other offices related to education at the call of BCS General Education Association.

BCS General Education Association president and DSHE director (college and administration) Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury told Prothom Alo Tuesday that they are receiving news of the strike being observed across the country. Colleges have postponed their scheduled programmes including exams. They aren’t signing any files at the offices today.

A statement signed by BCS General Education Association president Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury and secretary general Md Shawkot Hossain Molla read, “We had hoped that the authorities would take effective steps to resolve the issues and meet the logical demands of the education cadres.”

“But no visible action has been taken so far. Therefore, according to the decision of the association’s central committee, a strike has been announced for three consecutive days on 10, 11 and 12 October,” it added.

Earlier, education cadre officers had observed another day of work absention on 2 October with the same demands. The BCS General Education Association held a press conference at the capital’s Dhaka Reporters’ Unity auditorium on 30 September to announce their demands as well as programmes.

It was alleged during the press conference that despite there being a directive from the prime minister to create supernumerary posts (additional posts for a specific period) in all cadres to reduce the disparity in promotion, raise the pay grade of professors to third grade and solve the issue of earned leave, this is not being implemented.

Separate recruitment guidelines have been formed for the directorate of primary education, madrasah education board and government Alia madrasahs with the intention of occupying education cadres’ posts. The BCS General Education Association also alleged that the education cadres are in the most vulnerable position when it comes to promotion.