18 yrs without govt salary!

Teachers and staff of Lenga Bazar Ideal College in Sadar upazila of the district are serving the institution without the government-allocated portion of their salary as the college is yet to get monthly payment order (MPO), 18 years after establishment.

Due to the situation, 18 teachers and ten staff of different categories are suffering with their families.

The college, set up with the help of local people, started academic programme in 1999, following permission from the authorities concerned.

"I have already passed over 18 years of my working life here, but the college is yet to get MPO, despite assurance from the education ministry on several occasions. Many institutions, set up much later, got MPO,” said Asaduzzaman Palash, a senior teacher of the college.

“I have no other earning sources and the remuneration received from the college fund is too scanty to maintain a family," said Uzzal Sarkar, a lecturer.

“After spending so many years in this college, there is hardly any scope for me to change the profession," said Mahbuber Rahman, another lecturer.

TIM Mizanur Rahman, principal of the college, said, "We are fighting for inclusion of the college teachers under MPO for years. Unfortunately, the authorities concerned are yet to grant the government portion of salaries for the teachers and other staff, despite submission of required documents."

"This is an intermediate level college and we cannot take initiative to open degree classes unless and until we receive MPO," he added.