The association alleged that the promotion of over ten thousand cadre services teachers recruited through the Public Service Commission (PSC) would suffer if the absorption rules were amended.

However, the examinations at various government colleges scheduled for this week will be held as usual during their programmes, association leaders said.

They cautioned the government against the amendment move and said they would go for tougher agitation programmes if the government does not back down by September 7.

The government formulated an amendment proposal of the Absorption Rules 2000 to bring the non-cadre teachers of government colleges under a common government rule for members of the education cadre.

Education ministry has already sent the amendment proposal to the establishment ministry for approval.

The government has nationalised some non-government colleges where all of the teachers in those institutions were adopted as government employees and if the amendment to the Absorption Rules 2000 is passed, most of these adopted teachers will enjoy advantage by seniority over the teachers recruited through PSC, said Masum Rabbani Khan, secretary general of the association.

Masum told the Daily Star that they would declare an indefinite strike and shut down all colleges if the absorption rules are amended.

A total of 12,500 BCS cadre teachers at 271 government colleges in the country will lose seniority if the government brings changes in the Section 3, Article 9 of the Absorption Rules 2000, Masum clarified.

Government should recruit the adopted teachers through the PSC, he added.

College teachers from the BCS cadre services went on a 6-day strike from Saturday to press home their 8-point demands that includes creating more teaching positions, announcing permanent status to 3500 posts, ensuring due promotions and stopping turning colleges into universities.