Flora Telecom Faces Backlash Over Unpaid Salaries to IT Engineers

Employees of Flora Telecom, who were hired as IT support engineers for the Directorate General of Health Services under a project, are facing extreme financial hardship due to unpaid salaries. The engineers, along with their families, are struggling with severe financial conditions, compounded by debts and a lack of basic resources. According to reports, 50 individuals were hired on a contract basis by Flora Telecom in May and June 2024 to support the automation systems of Upazila Health Complexes under a health department project.

While the employees initially managed to secure their salaries for the first few months, 48 out of the 50 engineers have not been paid for 7 to 8 months of their 11-month tenure. The delay in payment has led to a situation where employees have resorted to protests.

This week, the affected workers gathered at Flora Telecom’s Banani office, but when they were ignored for hours, they locked the office from outside. They also informed the local police and the military about the situation. Flora Telecom assured them that their salaries would be paid later this month but also threatened to terminate their contracts.

The workers claim that, despite enduring severe financial hardship and living in dire conditions, the company is now pressuring them to look for jobs elsewhere. They argue that when they were hired, they were promised a minimum of three years of employment, but instead, they are now being threatened with dismissal.

One of the affected engineers, Faisal Ahmad, who works at the Barlekha Upazila Health Complex in Moulvibazar, stated, "From the time we were hired, the company has delayed paying our salaries. They managed to pay us for the first three months, but for the last eight months, we have not been paid. We’ve been given numerous deadlines, but none have been met."

On April 20, a group of workers staged a protest outside the company’s office in Banani, demanding their dues. Despite this, their situation remains unresolved. Ahmad further added, "We were promised at least three years of job security, but now, after just one year, we are facing eight months of unpaid wages and being told to find work elsewhere."

In response to the allegations, Flora Telecom's Chief Operating Officer, S. Jawaher Ahmed, stated, "This is a project-based job. We received the project from the health department, but due to the delay in the department's funding, we were unable to pay the employees. However, when they protested, we assured them that they would be paid on Sunday (April 27), and further instructions regarding their future will be provided."

Regarding the employees' claim that they were promised three years of employment, Ahmed denied the allegation, stating, "We never made such a commitment during the hiring process. The permanent employees were offered such job security, but these 48 employees were not made permanent."

Faced with the uncertainty of their future and the prolonged delays in receiving their wages, the unpaid IT support engineers have now sought legal assistance. They have appealed to the special assistant of the Chief Advisor for ICT and Telecom for their long-awaited dues.