Benapole, Aug 15 (UNB)-Thirty-three teachers of Sharsha Upazila College and Dakhil Madrasa alleged that Sharsha upazila parishad vice chairman Asaduzzaman Bablu forced them to sign their resignation letters.

The incident has created panic among all the teachers of Sharsha and Benapole.

The teachers alleged that Asaduzzaman Bablu, a local Awami League leader who is also chairman of the managing bodies of both the college and madrasa, took their resignation letters under duress.

Bablu forced them to resign when 14 out of 19 madrasa teachers went to meet him at his office on August 10 seeking their arrear salary.

The teachers of the madrasa were not paid their salary since June this year as Bablu refused to sign their salary sheet.

A teacher, on condition of anonymity, said Bablu posed threats before forcing them to sign their resignation letters on August 10, which panicked all the teachers of the upazila.

Earlier, the upazila vice chairman in a similar way took signatures on resignation letters from 19 teachers of Sharsha Upazila College under compulsion, alleged the aggrieved teachers.

The teachers said, they have been passing their days through severe economic hardships and leading a miserable life for being without having salary for about three months.

When contacted the upazila vice chairman said the teachers were forced to resign for negligence of duties, an allegation rejected by the aggrieved teachers who said they were made to resign illegally
under duress.

Jessore Deputy Commissioner Nurul Amin said he is not aware of the matter. “I will take necessary steps to solve the problems if any written complaint is submitted to me,” he added.