The jail guards in a letter to the home ministry urged the government to do away with the discrimination in their salaries comparing to that of army privates and police constables.

They gave statistics of their salaries since the pre-liberation times that show they had never got lower wages than privates and police constables.

Before independence, the jail guards' pay scale was between Tk 75 and Tk 105, while army and police of equal rank got Tk 73 to Tk 100.

After the Liberation War, the new pay scales for the three categories were equalised and they got a uniform scale of Tk 1,625-Tk 2,905 through the last pay commission.

In the new pay scale, jail guards are entitled to get Tk 2,600 and police and army members Tk 3,150.

The jail guards' other demands include a two-day holiday in a week, framing of the jail police act and allowances for marriage, 100 percent home rationing and a jail academy.