400 BTCL-absorbed BTTB officials worried over job status

About 400 engineers and non-engineering cadre-service officials of the newly-created Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) are now worried over the future of their career, reports UNB.brAfter creation of the new state-owned public limited company, these cadre officials of the now-defunct Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) were asked to join the new entity without mentioning the status of their service under the new management.brThe BTTB officials joined the BTCL in compliance with the government order and since then they have been working under the new corporate body in the country's telecom sector.brThe BTCL started functioning on July 1, 2008 by taking over all assets and liabilities of the BTTB. brHowever, on July 16, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MoPT) issued an order asking the new management to define the status of their officials and employees and inform the ministry about the matter.brThe ministry also asked the BTCL management to prepare the terms and conditions for the officials and employees. But, the BTCL management was yet to put in place any service terms and conditions for the staff members.brExpressing frustration, a senior official of BTCL, who joined from the BTTB as a telecom cadre officer, said under the new company nothing but the name did change.brThis official noted under the new corporate body they have to work in a new business competition with other private telephone operators.brBut, we don't have any discretionary power to take our own decision for the sake of our own business. Still, we have to seek decision from the higher authority in addressing any case relating to either customer service or business improvement, said the official on condition of anonymity.brHe said everything in BTCL takes place in the old style of BTTB, which creates only frustration among the officials and employees.brPost and Telecoms Ministry sources said the government might have to face complications in dealing with the cadre officers in the BTCL as their recruitment was under the Public Service Commission (PSC).brSince July 1, two new state-owned public limited companies have been created by the caretaker government under a reform recipe.brDhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd. (DPDC) was created dissolving the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) and the BTCL by dissolving the BTTB.brBut in DPDC, all the officials and employees were recruited under fresh appointment for a 3-year term with a new enhanced salary structure.