Government primary school office-cum guards are protesting in front of the Department of Primary Education in Mirpur demanding four points including job nationalization and elimination of pay inequality.
On Monday (August 24) morning, about 5,000 office-bearers from different districts of the country gathered under the banner of Bangladesh Government Primary School Employees Welfare Association and continued their protest.
Speaking to the protesters, it was known that 37,000 office-keepers were appointed in government primary schools across the country. Even after working in government schools, they are not getting fair salary and allowance. Inhuman and unprecedented, they have to perform office work during the day and night. Since being appointed to the post in 2013, they have been on duty 24 hours.
The agitators are holding sit-in in front of the department demanding transfer of the post of office-guard to the revenue sector, fixing of working hours as per the reply given by the department submitted to the High Court, elimination of pay inequality, determination of work type and immediate implementation of the High Court verdict.
Some protesters said, ‘We don’t have any weekly holidays. Due to various problems and demands for nationalization of jobs, we filed a writ petition in the High Court in 2017. Although the court’s verdict on July 30 this year was in our favor, the department did not take any action in this regard. That is why we are compelled to join and carry out the sit-in program.’
Mamun Sardar, joint convener of the Primary School Employees Welfare Association, said, “Inhuman torture is being inflicted on 37,000 office-keepers across the country. Since the appointment, many have had to work at the headmaster’s house, including cleaning the school, cleaning the toilet, cleaning the garden, and doing office work. At night the school guards have to work again.
News Room, August 24,2020