Employees of Comilla University-(CoU) in grades 11 to 20 formed a human chain on Sunday (16 November) protesting what they described as discrimination and deception in the implementation of the Ninth Pay Scale.

The demonstration was held at 12 PM at the university’s central roundabout in response to a call from the Bangladesh Inter-University Employees’ Federation.

More than a hundred employees from various departments of the university participated, chanting slogans such as ‘We demand justice‚ fulfill our demands’ and calling for an immediate end to the alleged disparities.

Employees alleged that the current process of implementing the Ninth Pay Scale has created ‘unjust and illogical discrimination.’

‘We do not want any deception. We want a fair and discrimination-free pay scale. The pay scale must be implemented uniformly across all universities’‚ they said.

They also urged the authorities to eliminate administrative complications and conspiracies, and to issue the official order without delay.

‘If the discrimination is not removed and the full Ninth Pay Scale is not implemented by December 15, we will be compelled to announce tougher programs,’ they warned.

Employee Monir Munshi stated, ‘Today’s human chain is peaceful, but if our demands are ignored, our movement will intensify.’

Senior employee A.K.M. Kamrul Islam said, ‘Our salaries were supposed to be increased under the Ninth Pay Scale. But now the interim government’s financial adviser is saying it is not possible. If the pay scale is denied, Bangladesh may once again top the corruption index and the employees will not be responsible for that.’

Fakhrul Islam from the Employees’ Council added, ‘We will observe any program announced by the Inter-University Employees’ Federation. If our fundamental rights are denied, we will have no other choice.’

Masud Alam, an employee of CoU’s Engineering Department and the Assistant Secretary for Culture and Sports of the Bangladesh Inter-University Employees’ Federation, said, ‘Although pay scales are supposed to be revised every five years, the previous Awami League government did not do so. Since then, different organizations have been protesting, demanding a pay scale that removes long-standing disparities. We hoped that the interim government would fulfill this demand.’

He added, ‘We expected the pay commission’s circular to be issued by December 16. But now we are being told that the interim government cannot provide the new pay scale and that it will be done by the next elected government. Employees across the country strongly protest this decision.’