Two Assistant General Managers (AGMs) from Bhola Palli Bidyut Samity (PBS), a rural electric cooperative, were recently suspended by the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) after they submitted a memo to BREB Chairman Ajay Kumar Chakraborty.
The memorandum raised concerns about persistent job discrimination faced by PBS employees.
SK Sakil Ahmed and Sukhdeb Barai, the suspended AGMs, were accused of "professional misconduct" by BREB Director Mahfuzul Haque.
However, several PBS colleagues defended their actions, asserting that addressing workplace issues with senior management is a fundamental duty.
Attempts to secure comments from BREB Chairman Ajay Kumar Chakraborty, Executive Director M Asafuddaula, and Director Mahfuzul Haque were unsuccessful, as all remained unreachable despite repeated attempts.
The suspended employees are part of a broader workforce of nearly 40,000 personnel employed across 80 Palli Bidyut Samities nationwide.
These employees claim they are subject to discriminatory practices compared to their counterparts in the BREB.
The memo outlined significant discrepancies in job titles, promotions, salaries, and benefits, highlighting that while BREB employees typically experience swift career progression, PBS employees often see their promotions stalled, with many reaching a standstill after only two promotions.
The memo also referenced a Ministry of Finance directive that mandates promotions after five years in the same position—a policy that is reportedly not applied to PBS employees.
In response to these issues, the suspended employees, supported by their colleagues, are demanding fair and regular promotions in line with government regulations, job titles that accurately reflect their responsibilities comparable to those of BREB employees, and equal access to the benefits enjoyed by BREB staff.
A PBS employee from a district near Dhaka, wishing to remain anonymous, expressed profound frustration over the situation, pointing out that despite PBS employees handling the bulk of critical work, they receive fewer benefits and face restricted career advancement.
He also alleged that BREB is not only stalling their careers but also breaching established government employment regulations.
