Dhaka: Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association (FBUTA) on Tuesday said it will go on a nonstop strike from 1 November if their demands are not met by 31 October.

FBUTA secretary general Professoressor Dr ASM Maksud Kamal came up with the announcement while talking to reporters after a meeting with Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid at the Secretariat.

 Earlier, a 15-member delegation of the FBUTA, led by its president Professor Farid Ahmed and Professor Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, held a meeting with the Education Minister over the demands of public university teachers.

The FBUTA secretary general said they will go on an indefinite strike from 1 November if their demands are not met by this month.

Replying to a question, he said they had sent letters to six cabinet members regarding their demands. ‘But we didn’t write the Finance Minister as he made offensive comments about the teachers.’

Meanwhile, Nahid said his first work will be to uphold the status of the university teachers.

He also said the teachers assured him that they would not obstruct the university admission process. ‘I’ll convey the message of the public university teachers to the cabinet committee concerned. A meeting will be held after the return of committee chief AMA Muhith from abroad,’ said the minister.

Replying to a question whether the demands of the public university teachers are logical, Nahid said, ‘I’ll discuss the matter with the other committee members from point of view. A fruitful decision will be taken over their demands,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Professor Farid Ahmed said they had talks with the minister in a cordial manner. ‘We hope the problems will be resolved through discussions.’

On 7 September, the Cabinet approved the new pay scale for public servants raising the monthly basic salary of the Grade 1 public officials to Tk 78,000 (fixed) while the basic pay of Grade 20 employees at Tk 8,250.

The public university teachers have been on a movement for an independent pay scale for them terming the 8th national pay scale discriminatory one.

The demands include reviewing the proposed 8th national pay scale, and protesting their disgracefulness in the proposed pay scale.

Later, the government reconstituted the cabinet committee over eliminating salary discriminations headed by Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith as it gives importance to their demand.