Pirojpur, Feb 15 (V7N) – Teachers in private colleges and secondary schools in the southern region of Bangladesh are living in dire conditions, unable to receive their salaries for the past two months. This has compounded their financial struggles, many of whom are already burdened with loans.
 
The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education began transferring teachers' salaries to their bank accounts through Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) on January 1, 2025. While teachers in the first five salary batches received their pay, many teachers still haven't received their December salary, and there’s no information about January's pay. When the salaries for December were deposited in February, nearly 99% of teachers' bank accounts had automatic loan installments deducted, causing further financial hardship.
 
Teachers, many of whom have earned higher degrees (Honors, Masters, B.Ed, M.Ed), initially received decent salaries when they started their careers in private schools (Tk 12,500) and colleges (Tk 22,000), with additional benefits like house rent and medical allowances. However, due to rising living costs, they have taken out loans to manage their monthly expenses. Unfortunately, when salaries are delayed, these teachers face automatic deductions from their bank accounts, leaving them in a tough situation.
 
Teachers are speaking out on social media, expressing their frustration and seeking advice or solutions. Some are urging the government to find a way to support them during this difficult time.
 
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (Mausi) has issued new guidelines regarding the transfer of MPO (Monthly Pay Order) funds to teachers’ bank accounts via EFT, starting from January 1, 2025. The directive addresses issues like mismatched names or errors in National ID numbers, which are preventing some teachers from receiving their payments.
 
A teacher from Mirukhali School and College in Mathbaria, Parvez Talukdar, confirmed that four of his colleagues are struggling without their salaries. Sonali Bank PLC in Mathbaria confirmed that loan installments are being automatically deducted according to the bank’s regulations.
 
END/MRS/SMA/