Clear all benefits of non-govt teachers, staff within 6 months of retirement: HC

The High Court on Thursday (22 February) ordered the government to pay retirement benefits to the teachers and other employees of non-governmental educational institutions within six months of their retirement.

The rulling came in connection to a writ petition initiated by 131 teachers and staff members in 2019. 

The teachers and employees, all under the government's Monthly Pay Order (MPO), filed the petition seeking a court directive to ensure proper financial benefits against increased salary cuts for their welfare funds.    

On 19 April 2017, the deducted amount was raised to 10% of basic salary from the previous 6%, but there was no increase in the pension benefits, said advocate Mohammad Siddique Ullah Mia, the counsel for the petitioners.  

In the ruling, the HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque highlighted the plights of teachers and staff members in non-governmental educational institutions who endure years of hardship and harassment to claim their rightful retirement benefits. 

The court's decision is anticipated to benefit over five lakh teachers and employees across the nation. 

As per Non-government Teachers and Employees Welfare Trust Regulations-1999 and Non-government Teachers and Employees Retirement Benefits Rules-2005, there was a provision to deduct 2% basic salary from teachers and 4% from employees. 

But two notifications were issued in April 2017, amending the provisions to enhance the deduction rates to 4% and 6% respectively, said advocate Siddique. 

The teachers and employees contacted the authorities at different times to cancel the notifications, as their financial benefits were not increased against the additional deduction, he added.  

Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta and lawyer Mamun Chowdhury represented the state and the Trust