Teachers allegedly forced to sign resignation letters

Thirty-three teachers of Sharsha Upazila College and Dakhil Madrasa alleged that Sharsha upazila parishad vice chairman forced them to sign resignation letters.
The incident has created a sense of fear and indignation among the teachers of Sharsha and Benapole, they said.
The teachers alleged that Asaduzzaman Bablu, a local Awami League leader who is also chairman of the managing bodies of both the college and madrasa, obtained their resignation letters under duress.
Bablu forced them to resign when 14 madrasa teachers out of 19 went to meet him at his office on August 10 to seek their arrear salary.
The teachers of the madrasa were not paid their salary since June this year as Bablu refused to sign the salary sheet.
A victim, on condition of anonymity, said Bablu threatened them before forcing them to sign their resignation letters on August 10, which panicked all the teachers of the upazila.
Earlier, the upazila vice chairman in a similar way took signatures on resignation letters from 19 teachers of Sharsha Upazila College under compulsion, alleged the aggrieved teachers.
The teachers said, they have been passing their days in severe hardship and leading a miserable life for being without salary for about three months.
Contacted, the upazila vice chairman said the teachers were forced to resign for negligence of duties.
Jessore Deputy Commissioner Nurul Amin said he is not aware of the matter.
“I will take necessary steps to solve the problems if any written complaint is submitted to me,” he added.