Former Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud on Wednesday said festival allowance, entertainment allowance, house rent and other perks will be increased for the MPO listed teachers, reports UNB.
“I assured everyone that we will try to meet the demands as much as we can in the upcoming budget after holding a meeting with the Finance Ministry, but 15/20 years of deprivation cannot be met with a one or two year budget. It's very hard to explain,” he said.
Wahiduddin came up with the information while speaking at a programme on the occasion of the joining of the newly appointed Education Adviser CR Abrar, held at the conference room of the Education Ministry.
"We will be able to increase their (MPO teachers) festival allowance, entertainment allowance, house rent, medical allowance from this year's Eid-ul-Azha to next year's budget. I know that provision is being made in this year's budget and next year's budget.,” he said
“We can understand the demand that private salaries should be made equal to government salaries, but how can a one-year budget fix a 15-year disparity? But we need to start. That's the beginning we're making,” said Wahiuddin.
Noting that, a fund is being created for teachers' retirement and welfare allowances, Wahiuddin, said, “It’s been built a little bit this year and the rest will be included in the next budget. However, to make the whole fund sustainable, it will be solved in the upcoming three or four budgets in the future.”
The money in the retirement and welfare fund was deliberately kept in a bank that no longer has money. Some funds have already gone elsewhere, he claimed.
"Welfare allowance and retirement allowance for private MPO teachers are their most legitimate demands. But they are not united. They never even take the streets. But I thought the demand should be met first,” he said.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
