Terminated Grameenphone Employees Demonstrate Before NBR Demanding Dues

3 August, Monday: Terminated employees of multinational telecommunications operator Grameenphone Limited intensified their street demonstrations against the company over allegations of withholding legitimate financial dues. Following a protest rally outside the National Press Club on August 1, the former workers gathered today, Monday (August 3) at 12:30 PM, outside the National Board of Revenue (NBR) headquarters in Agargaon under the banner of "Grameenphone 5% Delayed Dues Realization Unity Council."

Braving persistent rain, protesters assembled on the pavement in front of the NBR building holding umbrellas, banners, and festoons while chanting slogans for their unpaid dues. Following the human chain and rally, a delegation submitted a formal memorandum to the NBR Chairman, claiming that liquidating their dues would generate nearly BDT 13,000 crore in tax revenue for the government.

Speakers at the rally alleged that Grameenphone failed to disburse the 5% delay compensation tied to the Workers' Profit Participation Fund (WPPF) and Workers' Welfare Fund (WWF) for the 2010–2012 financial years over the past 16 years. Although payable under the Bangladesh Labour Act, the company has continuously tied up funds through court writs and legal technicalities.

Convener of the Council, Abu Sadat Md. Shoeb, stated that approximately 4,300 former workers and their families have suffered severe financial, social, and mental hardships due to the prolonged withholding of funds. Prolonged litigation has deprived workers of their legal rights while impeding the state from collecting hundreds of crores in potential tax revenues.

Providing further details, Mohammad Tanveer Ahmed stated, "Our dividend shares for 2010, 2011, and 2012 were delayed via legal writs. Although the principal amount was released under judicial pressure in 2015, applicable interest for the delay was excluded." He added, "Under the compound interest structure of the Labour Act, total outstanding dues for 4,300 former employees currently stand at approximately BDT 33,147 crore. However, we have submitted a flexible compromise proposal: we are willing to settle all disputes with Grameenphone if we receive just 0.03% of the calculated figure, amounting to BDT 10 crore per individual."

According to the submitted memorandum, if the compromise proposal is accepted and individual payouts of BDT 10 crore are made post-tax deduction, the government stands to receive a minimum of BDT 13,000 crore in income tax revenue.

The memorandum outlined four key demands to the NBR:

• Consider the matter with high priority given public interest and potential tax revenue;
• Take necessary initiatives for a legal resolution in coordination with all relevant statutory authorities;
• Settle the dispute per law to ensure assessment and collection of government tax dues; and
• Facilitate a peaceful, fair, and sustainable resolution to the labor dispute.

Council Publicity Secretary Adiba Zerin stated that the ongoing movement seeks immediate disbursement of 16-year legal dues, protection of earned rights, and enforcement of labor laws. For 19 consecutive months, workers have maintained street demonstrations despite extreme weather. She emphasized that management lawsuits, arrests, and harassment have failed to deter their pursuit of justice, affirming that peaceful protests will continue until all legal dues are realized.

Earlier on July 29, the council held a similar demonstration in front of the BTRC building adjacent to the NBR office.

//DBTech/MAZ/ASME//