Jatiya Shikkhak Karmachari Front, a platform of non-government school, college and madrasa teachers and employees, called the strike on Thursday.

Non-government teachers and employees led by Front's Chief Co-ordinator Prof Kazi Faruque yesterday held a rally at the city's Muktangan, demanding an increase of 10 percent in government salary from the existing 90 percent.

They said the alliance government has ignored the teacher community in its latest budget by not allocating additional funds for realising their demand.

"In their election manifesto, the ruling BNP had pledged to meet our demand. But the government did not bother to take any effective measures [to this end] even in its latest budget," said Kazi Faruque Ahmed.

Among others, Front leaders Azizul Islam, Shahjahan, Asadul Haque, MA Sattar, Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, Mohammad Ali Chowdhury, Mahbub Alam Talukdar, Afzal Mian, Shariful Islam and Abdul Mannan spoke at the rally organised to condemn the budget.

A procession brought out after the rally paraded different streets in the capital.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Shikkhak-Karmachari Oikya Parishad, another organisation of the non-government high school, college and madrasa teachers, yesterday announced indefinite strike from July 8.

The announcement came at a press conference at the Tajul Auditoriam in the capital.

"We have decided to go for the strike at the schools, colleges and madrasas across the country as the four-party alliance government did not allocate any funds to meet our 17-point demand including 100 percent salary from the government exchequer," said Prof MA Awal Siddique, convener of Oikya Parishad.

He said around 98 per cent education at the secondary and higher secondary levels depends on non-government schools and colleges but teachers and employees of these institutions receive only 15 per cent of the government benefits.

Besides, Jatiya Shikkhak Karmachari Oikya Jote led by Selim Bhuiyan will observe one-hour work abstention from today. To be held from 10:00am to 11:00am, the programme will continue till July 3 to press home the demand for 100 percent government salary.