Shahjahan Ali Manon, Nilphamari District Representative:
Workers and employees of the Railway Mechanical Department, who are facing discrimination in promotion, have formed a human chain. This program has been observed at the Saidpur Railway Factory, like other places across the country, demanding quick promotion and filling vacant posts. The event was organized in front of the main gate of the factory at 11:30 am on Wednesday (February 19).
Speaking at the human chain organized under the banner of the Railway Mechanical Department Workers' and Workers' Coordination Unity Council, Md. Ekram Uddin (P Chaser), Md. Mominul Islam (Fitter Grade-2), Md. Imrul Sikder (Fitter Grade-1), Md. Khairul Bashar (SS Fitter), Akhtarul Islam (Fitter Grade-2), Parvez Rana (Crane Driver-2) and Hamidur Rahman (BS Grade-2) said: "More than a hundred workers and employees deprived of promotion from various shops (factories) of the factory participated in the human chain."
The speakers said that although according to the recruitment rules, promotions are supposed to be made every 3 years, employees of various posts working in the mechanical department of the railway have not been promoted for 10 long years. However, hundreds of posts remain vacant. Instead of filling these posts, employees of various grades are being made to work in higher posts.
But even though there are no vacancies, officials are being promoted according to the same rules and given all the benefits. As a result, an official appointed on the same day gets promoted 3-4 times, while an employee does not get it even once. As a result, hundreds of fitter workers and employees are being deprived of benefits.
Recently, initiatives have been taken to promote some posts. However, extreme discrimination has been created in that case too. That is, not everyone who joins at the same time is getting this promotion. That is, some will get it, some will not. And those working in the posts of blacksmith, crane driver, pattern maker, wood maker, tinsmith, furniture man and core maker have been completely deprived.
The speakers demanded 100% promotion for all posts including these posts. Especially those whose promotion period has passed a long time ago should be given first. At the same time, it was demanded that the name of the Khalasi post should be changed, including the discrimination in the payment of allowances, should be removed. As well as the suicidal recruitment rules of 1985 and 2020 should be repealed.
A memorandum was also submitted to the higher authorities of the railway through the Divisional Supervisor (DS) of the Saidpur Railway Factory on February 13 regarding these demands. After the human chain, the organizing committee announced a new program to realize the demands. It said that if the demands are not met by February 28, a work stoppage program will be observed from January 1. On March 1, a half-day work stoppage will be held from 10 am to 11 am, on March 2, a half-day work stoppage from 7:30 am to 11:30 am, and on March 3, a full-day work stoppage will be held. (Photo)
Shahjahan Ali Manon
Nilphamari District Representative
