4th class employees continue protest

Bangladesh Fourth Class Government Employees' Samity stages a demonstration in the city yesterday to press for its demand. PHOTO: STAR

At a protest rally at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, leaders of Bangladesh Fourth Class Employees Association demanded cancellation of the order within the next 15 days.

They also threatened to go for strike and other programmes throughout the country if the demand is not met by that time.

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"We will observe a two-hour work abstention programme daily from May 25 and go for more tougher programmes if the order is not withdrawn," M A Hannan, general secretary of the association, told The Daily Star yesterday.

The association leaders said the order was issued at the suggestion of the IMF (International Monitory Fund) to put a bar on permanent employment opportunities of fourth class employees.

The establishment ministry has, however, denied any implementation of such order.

"The finance ministry issued the order a few months ago but it is stayed and the government has no plan to implement it as far as I know," Syed Naquib Muslim, joint secretary (admin) told The Daily Star over telephone yesterday.

But now avoiding that commitment, the government is putting the fourth class employees in uncertainty by issuing the order, they added.

Chaired by association president Saleh uddin Selim, the rally was addressed by president of employees coordination committee M A Mannan, Abul Kashem, Mongol Mia, Mujibul Haq, Osman Ali and Chan Mia.