No legal bar to MPO-Enlisted teachers contesting local elections
State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam at a conference organized by the Teachers-Employees Unity Alliance at the Engineers Institution auditorium in Ramna, Dhaka. Photo: Agamir Somoy.
There is no legal or policy bar preventing MPO-enlisted teachers from participating in local government elections until non-government educational institutions are fully nationalized.
Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, made these remarks on Thursday while addressing a conference organized by the Teachers-Employees Unity Alliance at the Engineers Institution Auditorium in Ramna, Dhaka.
"As long as non-government educational institutions are not fully nationalized, teachers face no obstacle to contesting local government elections," Shahe Alam stated.
He also expressed solidarity with the demand for nationalizing non-government teachers and employees.
The junior minister said that throughout Bangladesh's history, every increase in teachers' salaries, allowances, pensions, and professional dignity occurred under the leadership of Shaheed Zia and Begum Khaleda Zia. Continuing that legacy, he added, the nationalization demands of teachers and employees could be realized under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Claiming that the current administration has tripled the education budget, he said the government has been in office for just seven months. Emerging through a free and fair election following a long movement, the government is working tirelessly to revitalize the education sector. Despite financial constraints, a special fund of Tk2,000 crore has already been created to disburse benefits to nearly 100,000 teachers who retired between 2022 and 2026.
Offering advice on the push for nationalization, he noted that meeting the demand would require an additional Tk 700 to 800 crore annually.
"Organize a disciplined, large-scale national convention to convey your message to the Prime Minister through humane and democratic means. The current government will certainly recognize the importance of your demand," he advised.
Shahe Alam also announced a new initiative to introduce renewable energy in educational institutions.
He said that the Ministry of Education will provide financial grants to each institution to install 5.5-kilowatt rooftop solar panels. This will ensure an uninterrupted power supply for the schools while allowing them to earn between Tk5,000 and Tk10,000 per month by selling surplus electricity generated on holidays and off-hours back to the national grid.
