Metro Rail Recruitment Row: Diploma Engineers Declare Demonstrations

The Bangladesh Diploma Engineering Students, Teachers, and Professionals Struggle Council has announced legal action against the suspension of recruitment for metro rail engineers.

In addition, to establish a discrimination-free engineering workplace, the council has outlined a series of protests: a human chain in front of the National Press Club on August 20, and the submission of memorandums to district administrators across the country on August 25, presenting a seven-point demand.

The announcement was made in solidarity with the demands of students from engineering and technology universities, who are protesting what they describe as a “conspiracy” against the diploma engineering curriculum and diploma engineers.

To counter “provocative” leaflets, posters, statements, and “false information” on social media targeting over 800,000 engineers and more than 400,000 students, the declaration came at a press conference held on Tuesday, August 19, at the CEC Conference Hall of IDEB Bhaban in Kakrail. The statement was delivered by Md. Kabir Hossain, coordinator of the interim committee of IDEB.

Reading out a written statement, Akheruzzaman, member secretary of the central struggle council, said, “The value of experience cannot be assessed through institutional education. Therefore, 33 percent of promotions from sub-engineer to assistant engineer are based on experience. However, with the creation of the divisional engineer post, this rate has practically declined to 17 percent. Realizing this, it was decided to increase the rate to 50 percent. But due to bureaucratic complexities, promotions are being denied, and direct recruitment is being made instead.”

The statement further demanded that all engineering departments of universities and colleges across the country introduce two-year course curricula, enabling diploma engineering certificate holders to obtain BSc degrees.