Grameenphone Grievances Garner Government’s Attention
A five-member delegation representing former and aggrieved employees of Grameenphone met with the Advisor to the Ministry of Labour and Employment and Ministry of Shipping, Brigadier General (Retd.) Sakhawat Hossain, on Monday (May 19, 2025), to address their long-pending financial claims. The meeting, held at the Secretariat from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM, was also attended by Labour Secretary A.H.M. Shafiquzzaman and Additional Secretary (Labour) Fahmida Akhter.
The delegation, led by Abu Sadat Md. Shoeb, Convener of the “Grameenphone 5% Delayed Dues Unity Council,” included S.M. Kamrul Hasan, Adiba Zerin Chowdhury, Azharul Islam, and Md. Saidur Rahman.
According to sources, the hour-long bilateral discussion included around 40 minutes of in-depth deliberation. The Labour Advisor instructed the Secretary to promptly convene a tripartite meeting involving the government, Grameenphone, and former employees to resolve the 5% delayed payment issue. This meeting is expected to take place after the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha.
Earlier that morning, more than fifty former Grameenphone employees staged a demonstration in front of the National Press Club. Protesters carried placards bearing slogans such as “Job cuts and exploitation must stop!”, “Grameenphone must pay the 5% dues now!”, “Break the silence, Telenor!” and “We want answers!”
Speaking to the press, Shoeb said the meeting highlighted several critical labour law violations by Grameenphone and its parent company, Telenor. These included the failure to pay the 5% penalty dues from 2010–2012, past mass layoffs, and unresolved procedural issues. He stated, “These injustices have led to both financial and humanitarian crises for many former employees.”
He further noted that although the government’s gazette notification (SRO No. 336-Law/2010) mandated payment, Grameenphone did not comply, even after withdrawing its legal petition on March 6, 2023. “By law, they are obligated to settle dues within one month of withdrawal,” Shoeb added, urging the Advisor’s active intervention.
Delegation member Adiba Zerin recounted the police crackdown during a peaceful sit-in on February 25, 2025. “When we mentioned the violence, lawsuits, and intimidation, the Advisor responded, ‘I am aware of everything. I’ve seen your news and videos. Honestly, I can’t even sleep properly after watching them,’” she said.
The government is reportedly planning a tripartite meeting soon to address the workers’ concerns with all stakeholders present.
Later, during a separate meeting with EU Ambassador to Bangladesh, Abdelouhab Sadeani, Advisor Brigadier General (Retd.) Sakhawat Hossain reaffirmed the government's commitment to improving workers' welfare, facilitating trade union registrations, and ensuring economic stability.
