Government workers undoubtedly have the right to express grievances just like any other professional group, but not at the expense of citizens who they are employed to serve. This message becomes pertinent after thousands of people have been left stranded at railway stations across the country following a strike by the "running staff" that began early Tuesday.

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Thousands suffer as train drivers, associates on nationwide strike

According to a report by this daily, the origins of this protest trace back to the Awami League regime. In November 2021, the finance ministry issued a gazette cancelling extra pay for train drivers, assistant drivers (locomasters, assistant locomasters), guards, and traveling ticket checkers for overtime work. Previously, they also received pension benefits based on their extra pay. The AL government backtracked from this decision in 2022 in the face of protests, but the gazette was not officially revoked. Moreover, rail workers recruited in these positions since 2022 were denied these benefits in their appointment letters. While the new recruits accepted these terms, they went on work abstention last December, demanding equal benefits.

We believe the government can, and should, promptly address this issue by evaluating the merit of workers' demands. It has a responsibility to ensure that its employees at any level are properly remunerated. That said, the employees also have a duty to serve people and leave room for negotiation—they cannot just hold citizens hostage with a nationwide strike.

In response, the finance ministry issued a circular on January 23 stating that new recruits' overtime pay could be 100 percent of their normal work hours but could not exceed their basic salary. However, the circular did not say anything about retirement benefits. Consequently, rail drivers and support staff have gone on strike, demanding the cancellation of the 2021 gazette and equal overtime and retirement benefits for all workers, regardless of their recruitment year.

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Govt, striking railway staff talks fail to resolve nationwide strike

We believe the government can, and should, promptly address this issue by evaluating the merit of workers' demands. It has a responsibility to ensure that its employees at any level are properly remunerated. That said, the employees also have a duty to serve people and leave room for negotiation—they cannot just hold citizens hostage with a nationwide strike. Unfortunately, in recent months, we have seen similar protests by various groups of government employees that raise questions about their sense of duty. Citizens, who just want to go about their daily lives, cannot seem to catch a break from this stream of protests often blocking roads, intersections, and even essential services like emergency medical care.

We urge the protesting rail workers—whose meeting with the higher officials on Tuesday afternoon ended without any resolution—to withdraw the strike and return to the negotiating table, instead of continuously weaponising public services.