IEB demands protection of engineers’ rights, calls for reforms in recruitment

The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) has called for the protection of engineers’ legitimate rights and professional dignity, placing a five-point charter of demands, according to a press release.

The organisation stated that, despite the crucial role engineers play in driving national development, infrastructure, industry, and technological advancement, a section of vested interests has recently intensified conspiracies, unjust measures, and misleading activities targeting the profession.

Expressing grave concern over the police action on August 27 against the peaceful demonstration of university engineering students—which left several injured—the IEB said such treatment of the country’s future nation-builders is “utterly unacceptable.”

In its statement, the IEB emphasised that all grades, including the 10th grade of the National Pay Scale 2015, should remain open, but with minimum educational qualifications set for each grade to ensure merit-based recruitment.

It further demanded the abolition of the existing 33 per cent promotion quota from the 10th to 9th grade for assistant engineer posts.

The IEB alleged that some ministries and departments have been violating recruitment rules by exceeding the quota and offering “acting” or “additional” responsibilities in a discretionary manner.

As a result, direct recruitment to assistant engineer posts has been shrinking. The organisation urged the government to fill all vacant posts in the 9th grade through direct recruitment exams at the earliest possible time.

It also pointed out that although the national development budget has increased multiple times over the last decade, the organisational structures of ministries and departments have not been expanded with sufficient new engineering posts.

The IEB called for the urgent creation of new engineering positions across ministries and departments, followed by timely recruitment.

The body further reiterated its demand that holders of Bachelor of Science in Engineering degrees, upon becoming members of IEB, be officially entitled to use the designation “Engineer/প্রকৌশলী” before their names, as stipulated in an existing government gazette.

Professor Dr. Engr. Md. Sabbir Mostafa Khan, General Secretary of IEB, in his signed statement, said, “If the legitimate rights and dignity of engineers are ensured, they will contribute with greater enthusiasm and dedication to the nation’s development endeavours. Implementation of these demands has become an unavoidable necessity for building a sustainable Bangladesh.”