A proposal has been made to raise teachers’ house rent allowance by 5% from November 1, Education Adviser Professor Dr Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar said at a press conference at the Secretariat on Thursday.
He added that no more than this—“even by half a percent”—can be approved under the current budget.
Meanwhile, MPO-listed teachers have decided to continue their peaceful movement for fair demands, including classroom boycotts, said Maulana Delwar Hossain Azizi, member secretary of the MPO-listed Education Nationalization Aspirant Alliance.
The update followed a meeting between a 16-member delegation from the alliance and Education Adviser Abrar and Education Secretary Rehana Parvin at the Ministry of Education.
“The budget allocation process has concluded, and the current proposal offers a 5% increase,” Dr Abrar explained. “Had the demand been made earlier in the year, more could have been allocated. Due to financial limitations, further immediate increases are not possible. However, if there’s room in the next budget, additional increases could be considered.”
The adviser said the Finance Division would be requested to ensure a further increase in the next fiscal year. However, he stressed that teachers’ demand for an immediate 10% hike and another 10% next year is not feasible. “We acknowledge the legitimacy of their demands, but they need to consider current realities. Public suffering is rising, and exams are approaching,” he said.
Education Secretary Rehana Parvin added that, based on the government’s financial capacity, the 5% HRA increase will be implemented from November 1, with a minimum of Tk2,000. “Due to a safety clause, 55% of teachers and staff will effectively receive a 10% raise, and around 90% of teachers will get nearly 9% of their basic salary as house rent. Rejecting the proposal would deprive them of this benefit, which the government does not want. Teachers are urged to accept the offer given the current circumstances,” she said.
Responding to allegations of negligence, Parvin said: “It’s not true that we didn’t give importance. From the beginning, we’ve coordinated with the Finance Division and submitted all necessary calculations.”
Abrar added that the Pay Commission may propose a 50%, 70%, or even 100% salary increase, which would automatically raise house rent allowances proportionally. Addressing concerns about the ongoing protests affecting students, he said: “This is not a matter of conscience, but of reality. If there’s no money, it’s not right to make promises that cannot be fulfilled later.”
He also clarified that the current budget cannot accommodate a 15% increase from July if the 5% is accepted now, as making such commitments could burden the next government. “The Finance Division has been asked to implement the proposal from November. If teachers accept it, a formal gazette will be issued; otherwise, it will not proceed. The government’s main priority is to reduce public suffering,” Dr Abrar concluded.
