Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Due to absence of government allocation, the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) is facing an acute crisis of fund.
At the same time, to retain regular activities of city corporation, RCC authorities is now running into a debt of Tk 800 million during last five years.
A huge dissatisfaction and agitation started among employees and workers of the RCC due to non-payment of outstanding salaries and wages before Eid-ul-Fitr.
However, the situation became calm after part of the outstanding dues was paid to them just before the Eid under the mediation of a local political leader.
According to sources, RCC is now running under Tk 800 million deficit in payment of its staff, payment of bills the contractors, electric bills and other expenses.
There are outstanding Tk 280 million bills of contractors, Tk 360 million of electricity department and Tk 30 million salaries and payments.
RCC sources said there are 2,200 workers of RCC employed under daily wages basis and 500 temporary employees.
An uncertainty and disappointment loomed over the payment of salaries and wages of those 2700 staff during Eid-ul-fitre due to shortage of fund.
The staff also started agitation and movement demanding payment of all arrear salaries before the Eid.
The CEO of RCC had to arrange an emergency meeting with the councillors three days before the festival.
Under the mediation of workers party leader MP Fazley Hossain Badsha, part of outstanding salaries and wages were paid to all the staff of RCC.
RCC CEO Shah Momin said there were outstanding Tk 318 million dues as salaries and wages of staff of RCC but there was only Tk 6.0 million in the fund of RCC.
As a result, RCC had to procure some loan from WASA to repay outstanding salaries and wages of the staff.
Azmir Ahmed Mamun, general secretary of RCC Employees' Union, said due to non allocation of government fund and absence of proper monitoring to fund collection from own sources of RCC, there was a drastic fall in fund position of the city corporation.
RCC Mayor Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul said for several months, RCC was running on its own fund.
There was no government allocation of fund for RCC for a long time. As a result, there was also an irregularity in payment of salaries and wages of staff of RCC.