The higher education activities in the country came to a standstill on Monday as classes and exams were closed in all public universities, and officials and employees halted their daily work as part of the teachers’ complete strike, demanding the cancellation of their inclusion in the universal pension scheme.

Teachers refrained from all academic activities from Monday morning to evening. Under the banner of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association, sit-in programmes were held in universities.

The Daily Sun has talked to authorities of 10 universities who said that academic buildings were opened in the morning, but no students came. Most classrooms and examination rooms remained locked. Additionally, university officers and employees, although present, did not participate in any activities and spent their time idly. The central libraries of the universities were also closed. The striking teachers said this all-out strike would continue until their demands were met. These demands include the withdrawal of the inclusion of university teachers from the “discriminatory and degrading” universal pension scheme, the introduction of an individual pay scale for teachers, and the inclusion of university teachers in the promised super grade.

Professor Dr Md Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, secretary general of the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association and president of the Dhaka University Teachers Association, told the Daily Sun, “We started a complete strike, and teachers of all public universities across the country are in solidarity with it. We have made three demands to the government, and the strike will continue until these demands are met.”

Meanwhile, the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association boycotted the 104th anniversary of the university in protest against the pension scheme. Professor Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan and General Secretary Zeenat Huda did not participate in the programme on Monday.

However, some teachers did participate in the anniversary ceremony.

A group of teachers, led by Zeenat Huda, held a sit-in programme in front of the Kalabhavan gate.

Professor Zeenat Huda said, “We could not attend the foundation anniversary of our university. Since we have declared a total strike, the president and general secretary of the association symbolically did not participate in the event. Still, we did not stop those who wanted to go.”

At Jagannath University, teachers and staff observed a complete strike. As part of the programme, all classes and evening sessions were closed, and no exams, including midterms, finals, or admission exams, were held. On the first day of the strike, teachers took a position on the premises of Shahid Minar inside the campus. Jagannath University Teachers’ Association General Secretary Professor Mashrik Hasan said, “Our complete strike will continue until the demands are met.”

Rajshahi University Teachers’ Association is also observing a complete strike. From 11am to 12pm, they held a sit-in programme at the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Senate building premises. All classes and examinations at the university are closed, and the University Officers Association has called for a continuous strike from 1 to 3 July.