Diploma Engineers Call for Conducive Engineering Work Environment to Sustain Bangladesh’s Inclusive Development

The Bangladesh Diploma Engineering Students–Teachers–Professionals Struggle Council has called for ensuring a fair and conducive engineering work environment to sustain the country’s march toward a discrimination-free, developed, and prosperous Bangladesh.

The call was made by the council’s leaders at a press conference held on Monday, January 26, at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) building in Kakrail.

Expressing concern at the press conference, the speakers said that at a time when the government is moving forward with preparations to hold the 13th National Parliamentary Election in order to advance the country along the path of democracy, degree engineers and BSc engineering students are allegedly engaging in planned efforts to destabilize the country. They accused these groups of making defamatory statements against the majority of diploma engineers and conspiring to obstruct the recruitment process of diploma engineers in various organizations.

Diploma engineering leaders alleged that degree engineers—educated at a significant cost to the state—should be contributing to the country by innovating new technologies through research to help Bangladesh face global challenges. Instead, they claimed, degree engineers are attempting to enter lower-tier supervisory and maintenance positions. They further alleged that recruitment processes for Sub-Assistant Engineer posts in institutions such as the metro rail project and WZPDCL have been stalled through writ petitions, creating legal complications.

According to the speakers, diploma engineers’ positions are being reduced through the creation of top-heavy organograms in various organizations. They also alleged that government gazettes are being violated by specifying higher engineering degrees as educational qualifications for Sub-Assistant Engineer or equivalent posts. At a time when a high-level government committee is working to resolve professional issues between degree and diploma engineers, the leaders questioned whether such actions by degree engineers constitute a deliberate attempt to destabilize the country. From the press conference, they urged law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter.

The press conference also called on the government to implement the seven-point demands announced by the Bangladesh Diploma Engineering Students–Teachers–Professionals Struggle Council.

A written statement was read out at the press conference by Engineer Md. Imam Uddin, Central Member Secretary of the Press Council. Questions from journalists were answered by Engineer Md. Kabir Hossain, Central Convener of IDEB, and Engineer Md. Akheruzzaman, Central Convener of the Struggle Council.

Others present at the event included Engineer Kazi Sakhawat Hossain, Engineer Mirza Mizanur Rahman, Engineer Abidur Rahman, Engineer Moniruzzaman, Engineer Md. Mostafa Kamal, Engineer Md. Bacchu Mia, Engineer Azizur Rahman, Engineer Md. Parvez Mosharraf Rarhi, among others.

DBTech/SR/EK/OR