Bangladesh Primary Teachers Association will observe half-day strike on June 5, a daylong strike on June 10 and 15 and hold grand rally at the Central Shaheed Minar at 1:00pm on June 15.

Leaders of the association at a press conference yesterday said they will also take out a procession after grand rally on June 15.

They will submit a memorandum to Prime Minister and Finance Minister through Speaker.

They will announce the fresh agitating programmes if their demands are not met on the day, leaders added.

Association President Prof Abul Kalam Azad said a 20-member team met Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on October 20 last year and she assured the team of taking effective measures to eliminate wage discrimination.

"But the government did not take any step to meet our demands even after eight months of the PM's assurance," he said while reading out a paper at the press conference at the National Press Club.

He said they also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister on February 26 and observed token hunger strikes at union and thana levels on March 18 in this regard.

The government and non-government primary school teachers face huge wage discrimination compared with the government employees of the same rank, he said.

He said, "A non-government high school teacher gets Tk 5,100 per month while a non-government primary teacher is receiving Tk 2600 only."

Association General Secretary Kazi AK Fazlul Haque urged the government to introduce school-based examination for the greater interest of the primary school students.

The teachers of a primary school should prepare questions for the examination.

Teachers' leaders Harun-ur-Rashid, SM Altaf Hossain, Siddiqur Rahman, Monowara Hossain, Raushan Akhtar and BM Asadullah were also present.