Closed Dhaka Metro Rail staff continue work stoppage for second day

The train services came to a halt since the vandalism at the metro station amid the quota reform movement

The employees of the Dhaka Metro rail that was stopped in its tracks by attacks and violence amid the quota reform movement have been staging a work stoppage for the second consecutive day to press home their six-point charter of demand.

The protesters continued the demonstration on Saturday and made an announcement on the continuation of the work-stoppage at a media briefing at Diabari Metro Rail Depot in Dhaka’s Uttara.

Amid quota movement on Jul 18, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) halted the urban transportation system in the evening after a police box under the footbridge at Mirpur-10 roundabout and beneath the metro rail line was set on fire. Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations were vandalised the following day. The operation of the metro rail has been closed since then.

Amid the closure of the operation, the employees from 10th to 20th grade level of the metro rail declared a work-stoppage on Thursday.

At the briefing, ticket machine operator Sabina Akhtar said, “There has been no proper institutional structure since the start of metro rail. The employees are being deprived of various allowances available for them due to the lack of specific service rules. There are also opportunities to raise questions over the contractual appointments and activities of many senior officers.”

She claimed that the employees of metro rail from first to ninth grade level receive basic pay at 2.3 times of the National Pay Scale while the employees from 10th to 20th grade level get basic pay at 2 times of the scale which is ‘discriminatory’.

“The authorities took no steps on the matter despite being asked several times. On the contrary, they scolded and threatened protesters to fire from the job in the wake of repeated complaints on the matter.”

The demands are as follows:

>> A discrimination-free pay structure changing the current one, that means a similar pay structure for all grades, that will be payable with arrears from the date of joining at the rate of 2.3 times of the National Pay Scale-2015.

>> CPF benefits from the start of service at the job.

>> An integrated promotion system aligned with other government-owned companies and global metro systems.

>> Such as other state-run companies, employees should be granted permanent job status at the end of their apprenticeship.

>>A transport system with adequate security at all locations, including stations and depots.

>> A zero-tolerance policy for domineering, discriminatory behaviour and personal anger in the workplace.