Former employees of Grameenphone stage a demonstration in front of its headquarters in the capital on Wednesday, demanding payment of their long-pending dues. FE Photo More than 400 former employees of Grameenphone (GP) staged a peaceful demonstration outside its headquarters in the capital on Wednesday, demanding the settlement of their long-pending dues.
The protest comes in the wake of a recent visit by the global CEO of Telenor Group, with demonstrators expressing frustration over the nonpayment of the dues despite repeated assurances to this effect.
The former GP employees said their dues--including payments under the Workers' Profit Participation Fund (WPPF) and a 5.0 per cent delayed payment penalty--have remained unsettled for over 15 years, affecting nearly 4,000 worker families.
They described such prolonged wait as a humanitarian crisis, they alleged that their financial hardship had pushed numerous families into extreme distress.
Speakers at the gathering criticised what they termed a stark contrast between the company's public commitments and its treatment of former workers.
While the Telenor leadership has recently highlighted ambitions aligned with "Smart Bangladesh" and improved labour standards, protesters said such aspirations ring hollow without addressing unresolved labour disputes. The successive political transitions over the past decade and a half have failed to make any headway, they alleged, accusing the company of leveraging influence and prolonging legal processes to delay justice.
According to the demonstrators, such "judicial procrastination" effectively denied workers of their right to remedy.
A good number of speakers painted a grim picture of the human cost of the delay, claiming that some former colleagues had already died without receiving their dues, while many families continue to live in severely deprived conditions.
Convener Abu Sadat Md. Shoeb said the credibility of Telenor's development vision in Bangladesh hinges on resolving the dispute.
He urged the government to take decisive steps to ensure that the company adheres to international labour and ethical standards.
Adeeba Zerin Chowdhury, one of the key coordinators in the movement, appealed to Prime Minister (PM) Tarique Rahman for urgent intervention, arguing that sustainable development cannot be achieved if thousands of workers remain deprived of their lawful entitlements.
Despite their grievances, the protesters reiterated that they are seeking a peaceful and honourable resolution through dialogue.
However, they warned that their 'lawful and non-violent' movement would continue both domestically and internationally until their demands are met.
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