Seven colleges' staff hold human chain demanding revenue-sector inclusion and four-point charter

Non-government employees of the capital's seven government colleges held a human chain and protest programme demanding their inclusion under the structure of Dhaka Central University, along with a four-point charter of demands.

The programme was held on Monday (9 November) at 10:30 in the morning in front of the main gate of Dhaka College, organised by the Oikya Parishad of non-government employees of the seven government colleges.

Employee leaders at the human chain said the non-government employees of the seven colleges have been carrying out their duties for a long time amid various forms of discrimination and uncertainty. Including their jobs in the revenue sector would ensure employment security and end their long-standing deprivation.

Md. Dulal Sardar, convener of the Dhaka Central University Karmachari Oikya Parishad movement, said that although they work in government colleges, they have to work as non-government employees. Yet it is the non-government employees who play the main role in running the colleges' daily activities, keeping academic work going and carrying out various examination duties.

He said that alongside the teachers, they too have contributed to the colleges' good results and reputation.

Dulal Sardar said that at present a non-government employee earns only 8,000 to 10,000 taka a month. In a market where prices keep rising, it is extremely difficult to live with one's family on such a small salary.

He said that many doctors, engineers, ministers and secretaries have come out of these colleges, yet no effective initiative has been taken to improve the living standards of the employees' families.

Addressing the prime minister, he demanded that their jobs be included in the revenue sector. If that is not possible, pay and allowances must be ensured under the announced pay scale, and otherwise all non-government employees of the seven colleges must be included under Dhaka Central University to ensure job security. He said, in one way or another — through absorption or nationalisation — a system must be arranged so that they can survive.

Four demands were placed before the government at the human chain. The first demand is to transfer the jobs of all working non-government employees of the seven government colleges to the revenue sector. The second demand is to include them under the structure of Dhaka Central University.

The third demand is to pay salaries and allowances according to the National Pay Scale 2026 announced by the prime minister until they are brought into the revenue sector. The fourth demand is to stop the retrenchment of all working employees of the seven colleges.