Dhaka, July 29— Education Minister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel announced on Monday that there is currently no plan to reopen educational institutions. This statement was made during a meeting with university teachers protesting against the universal pension scheme in the conference room of the Ministry of Education.
In response to journalists' questions about reopening schools amidst ongoing student protests, the minister stated, "The matter should be discussed with those who are responsible. That is not the case at the moment. And as you say, we don't have information at this time as to whether some have gone down, how many have gone down or what has happened. We can inform you when we get the information."
When asked about discussions in the cabinet meeting regarding the reopening of primary schools, he declined to comment, emphasizing the confidentiality of cabinet discussions.
The government closed schools and colleges on July 16 following violence related to the quota reform movement. Subsequently, university authorities suspended classes and exams, ordering students to vacate dormitories.
The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister's adviser on education and culture, Kamal Abdul Nasser Chowdhury, President of the Parliamentary Committee on Education Ministry, and former Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, along with other ministry officials.
Earlier, on July 13, a delegation of protesting university teachers met with Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader following the Prime Minister's instructions. Dhaka University Teachers Association President Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan described the discussion as "satisfactory" and "open."
However, Obaidul Quader clarified in a press conference that the information about including government university teachers in the 2024 pension scheme was incorrect.
Teachers from 39 public universities in Bangladesh have been on strike since July 1, demanding the cancellation of the certification scheme. The strike is organized by the Bangladesh University Teachers Association Federation.
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