The High Court (HC) on Tuesday directed the government to provide retirement benefits to over 500,000 teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme within six months.
The High Court bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque passed the order.
Advocate Mohammad Siddique Ullah Mia said in the Non-government Teachers and Employees Welfare Trust Regulations, 1999 and Non-government Teachers and Employees Retirement Benefits Rules, 2005., there was a provision to deduct 2% of the basic salary of teachers and 4% of the employees.
On the contrary, some financial benefits were provided to the teachers and staff from the funds of the teachers' trust.
But on April 19, 2017, two notifications were issued amending the provisions of deducting 2% and 4% of the basic salary of teachers and employees and was made 4% and 6% respectively, he added.
He said about 500,000 teachers and employees of private educational institutions contacted the authorities at different times to cancel the order, as their financial benefits were not increased against the additional deduction.
But when the authorities did not take any proper steps in this regard, they held various programs including the human chain at different times.
On April 15, 2019, the teachers and employees filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the notification issued by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education.
On December 8, High Court issued a four-week rule asking the defendants to explain why the notification issued by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education should not be declared illegal.
