Ex-employees of Grameenphone stage blockade at its head office

Members of the “Laid-Off and Deprived Grameenphone Workers Unity Council” staged a blockade on Tuesday at Grameenphone’s head office (GP House) in the capital demanding the collection of a 5.0 per cent share of the company’s profits and delay penalties.

At the gathering, the speakers called on Grameenphone to sit for discussions to resolve the issue urgently.

Otherwise, the movement would be escalated with continuous programmes, warned the agitators.

Since December 2, 2024, the laid-off workers have been continuously organising programmes to achieve their three-point demands.

Protest rallies and demonstrations were held on Tuesday with the participation of over 200 laid-off and former workers of the company who came from different districts of the country

At the gathering, labour leaders stated that ignoring a government notification, Grameenphone in 2010 filed a writ petition with the High Court against the distribution of five per cent of its profits to the workers.

A press release issued by Abu Sadat Mohammad Shoyeb, convener of the “Laid-Off and Deprived Grameenphone Workers Unity Council” said following a court ruling in 2014 and the workers' movement, the company was forced to distribute the principal amount of the profits in 2015.

“However, the issue of delay penalties remains unresolved, as the company has prolonged the legal process using legal tactics, depriving the workers.

When the workers approached the court, Grameenphone withdrew the pending writ in 2023.

Now there are nearly 2,000 cases pending against Grameenphone in different courts on different charges. The authorities have been prolonging these cases for years using legal manoeuvres and influence,” also read the press release.

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