The High Court has issued a rule upon the concerned bodies of the government to explain as to why they should not be directed to give retirement benefits to the teachers and employees of the private educational institutions against 10 per cent deduction instead of 6.0 per cent from their salary to pension and welfare trust fund.
It also asked the authorities to explain as to why they should not be directed to pay the retirement financial benefits to the teachers and employees of the private educational institutions within one year or within a specific period.
Education Secretary, Director General of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Directorate, Member-Secretary of the Non-Government Educational Institution Teachers and Employees Retirement Benefit Board and other respondents have been asked to comply with the rule within four weeks.
The High Court bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Md Akhtaruzzaman passed the order recently after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard by some of the teachers of the private educational institutions.
Lawyer Siddique Ullah Miah who appeared on behalf of the writ petitioners said he received the High Court order on Wednesday.
The lawyer said, “A total of 6.0 per cent of the salary of the teachers and employees of the private educational institutions was deducted for giving them retirement benefits, according to the Non-government Teachers and Employees Welfare Trust Regulations, 1999 and Non-government Teachers and Employees Retirement Benefits Rules, 2005.
However, in 2017, the education ministry issued a notification saying that 10 per cent of the salary would be deducted instead of 6.0 per cent from their salary to pension and welfare trust fund. The new rule will be effective since April 2019.
From April 2019, the rule of deducting 10 per cent of the salary of all the teachers and the employees of the private educational institutions under monthly payment order (MPO) was implemented. But no provision has been made to provide any additional benefits to retiring teachers for the additional 4 per cent enhanced deduction.”
He further said, “At the same time, it often takes a long time for retired teachers and employees to receive their accrued benefits after retirement. As a result, some teachers and employees of private educational institutions filed the writ with the High Court.”
