DMTCL Gives Relief Message Amidst Employee Service Rule Crisis

The regular officials and employees of Dhaka Metro Rail had announced an all-out work stoppage beginning Friday (Dece"message of relief"mber 12th) following an ultimatum, threatening the indefinite closure of all passenger services.

However, the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has reportedly provided a "message of relief" regarding the metro rail's movement, which was posted on their verified social media page on Thursday (December 11th).

The primary conflict stems from the non-finalization of an independent employment rule for the more than 900 officers and employees, despite the establishment of DMTCL in 2013 and the commercial operation of the Metro Rail since December 28, 2022.

Employees, who are on open appointments, have been deprived of basic facilities including holidays, CPF (Contributory Provident Fund), gratuity, shift allowance/overtime, and group insurance.

The service rule was initially instructed to be formulated within 60 working days following an Advisory Committee instruction on September 12, 2024.

When that deadline passed, employees protested on February 13, and authorities assured the rule would be finalized by March 20, a promise that was also unfulfilled, leading to nine months of employee frustration.

The 'Special Provision' Conflict: In a meeting on December 10, the Managing Director stated that while the Board of Directors agreed on all clauses, the 11th chapter on 'Special Provisions' has caused an obstruction. This controversial provision involves the integration of project manpower into DMTCL, which the MD acknowledged is in conflict with existing Bangladeshi laws and a Supreme Court verdict.

Employees allege that while the Board of Directors is willing to exclude the controversial provision, the DMTCL authorities are delaying the publication of the service rule under pressure.

The employees had announced a complete closure of passenger service starting Friday, December 12th, if the service rule was not enacted by December 11th.