Classes resume at public universities

Classes resumed at all the 37 public universities yesterday after seven days of work abstention by the teachers over “pay disparity” in the new pay scale. The strike was postponed upon assurance from the prime minister.

The students attended classes and exams yesterday, bringing normalcy in the universities which were virtually paralysed by the teachers' movement.

Dhaka University, meanwhile, will take make-up classes at weekends to minimise the student's academic loss due to the strike.

The decision was taken in a meeting at the university's Teacher's Club.

“Our teachers have agreed to take additional classes on Fridays and Saturdays," said Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed, president of Dhaka University Teacher's Association.

Prof Farid, who is also the president of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association (FBUTA), a platform of teachers of all 37 state-run universities, told The Daily Star that the teachers would continue talks over their demand of “pay parity” with bureaucrats and other high-ups in the meantime.

“We will hold another meeting on February 3 to assess the development of the situation.”

Life returned to the Dhaka University campus with the presence of students.

Many students, who went to their homes outside Dhaka, were seen back in their dormitories in the morning.

Rakib Uddin of management department and Touhid Ali of Pali and Buddhist Studies were among the returnees. They came from Khulna.

“Hearing the news of postponement of the work abstention, we had to get on a bus at night to attend our classes,” said Rakib.

Noor Alam, a freshman of anthropology department, said, "We were disappointed as we got one class since I got in. Now I am very happy to return to my new classroom with my new friends."

Abu Sufian, another freshman of finance department, said, "We were afraid of session jam because of the indefinite strike. Today, I have attended my first class in my university life and hope to continue without any more obstacles."

The agitating teachers postponed their work stoppage on Tuesday evening, saying they have faith in the assurance provided to them during their meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.