No bribe, no honorarium for teachers

Thirty-five teachers in Lalmonirhat’s Hatibandha upazila have complained that they were under pressure to bribe the authorities in order to receive their dues for working under a literacy programme of the government that ended over a month ago. 

A total 1,200 teachers were appointed under a six-month project to educate 36,000 people at 600 centres in Aditmari and Hatibandha upazilas,

They were promised a monthly salary of Tk 2,400 under the project that ended on June 30.

In order to keep the chunk on the hook, the authorities did not pay them the total sum every month, rather, deducted a portion and promised that the deposited amount would be disbursed upon the end of the project.

Now, in order to receive the due Tk 3,230, the project officer is charging Tk 1,000 per head, according to a written complaint submitted to Aditmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Asaduzzaman on Sunday.

Taslima Akhter of Mahishkhocha village in Aditmari, said she had given Tk 4,000 bribe to the project officer to be recruited. “They promised us that the project would continue and eventually we would get a monthly salary of at least Tk 5,000.”

“But now the project has ended and the project officer is demanding Tk 1,000 for clearing my dues,” she said.

Similar account came from 25 other teachers that this correspondent spoke to.

“I was not given Tk 3,230 as I denied to pay the bribe,” said Shamsul Islam, another teacher of Mahishkhocha village. “We submitted a written compliant to the UNO on Sunday but no steps are visible yet,” he told this paper.

Dipti Rani of Sarpukur village said she received the due amount after paying Tk 1,000. “Project supervisors are collecting the bribe from us.”

“I paid Tk 1,000 to supervisor Shafiqul Islam and got Tk 3,230,” said Rashedul Islam of Bhelabari village.

“During recruitment, I had paid Tk 4,000 to the project officials,” he added.

When contacted, Project Supervisor Shafiqul Islam said he had no say on the matter as it was being handled by Shafique Hasan, programme officer in Aditmari upazila.

Shafique also shrugged off the claim saying, “I am just discharging by duties by handing over the dues. Seven hundred teachers have received the dues so far.”

Saidur Rahman, assistant director of Basic Literacy Project in Lalmonirhat, said he was not aware of the matter. “I would look into it and bring to book if any official is found guilty.”

Aditmari UNO Asaduzzaman echoed him.