The teachers of Dhaka University have observed work abstention for five hours today demanding reinstatement of the previous pension facilities instead of the newly introduced universal pension scheme.

No class was held due to the "half day" protest that started around 8:00am which continued around 1:00pm, our DU correspondent reports.

However, the scheduled exams were held, said a press release.

Terming the new pension scheme "discriminatory" the teachers also demanded cancellation of the gazette in this regard.

The protesters gathered at the entrance of the Arts Building during the ongoing protest. The programme was held under the banner of Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA). Its President Prof Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan and General Secretary Prof Zeenat Huda led the programme.

After ending today's programme, DUTA leaders said they will continue their peaceful protest throughout this month.

They announced that they will observe full day work abstention along with the students from July 1 if their demands are not met within the deadline.

"The protest of work abstention have been being observed in 44 public universities today," said Prof Nizamul Hoque Bhuiyan, who is also Secretary General of Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association.

The finance ministry, in a notification on March 13, announced that all officers and employees, joining the service of autonomous, self-governing, nationalised, statutory, or similar organisations and their subordinate institutions would be included in the universal pension scheme from July 1.

Therefore, the teachers who will be appointed in public universities they will be under the new pension scheme instead of current pension facilities of the universities.

The teachers claimed that if the new pension scheme is implemented, meritorious students will be reluctant to come to the teaching profession.