Metrorail project workers stage demo for ‘forcing them to quit job’

A section of workers of metro rail project staged demonstration on Begum Rokeya Sarani in the capital's Mirpur area this morning for what they said forcing them to quit the job.

Nearly 200 workers took to the streets and brought out a procession on Begum Rokeya Sarani road around 10:40am, reports our staff correspondent from the spot.

More workers joined them in the protest that continued for 30 minutes.

While talking to The Daily Star, Faruk Islam said Masud Enterprise, a local recruitment agency, appointed him for three years under the project in 2018 with the basic salary of Tk 13,000 per month. But now the agency asked him to quit the job, he alleged.

Faruk claimed that the recruitment agency sacked eight workers on September 26.

“Like me, the agency asked many other workers to resign,” Faruk added.

Contacted, Assistant Manager of Masud Enterprise Aminul Islam said two companies --Masud Enterprise and Adam Enterprise -- will sack 624 workers, out of 4,500, as the project has been nearly completed.

“The workers will be sacked from the job as per the agreement,” he added.

Managing Director of the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Company (DMTCL) MAN Siddique said it is simple that the demand of workers will be reduced with the progress of work on metro rail. Moreover, a large part of the metro rail in Mirpur area has completed.    

Usually, the contractor of the project recruited manpower on temporary basis through sub-contractor, so it is not a matter of the metro rail project authorities, said the official of DMTCL, which was formed to set up the metro rail lines.

As the demand of the work came down in Mirpur area, the sub-contractor of the project might ask the workers to resign from the job, he said.

“We have no legal right for recruiting workers directly under the project,” he said.