33 Officer-Employees of Foreign Language Training Center Living Without Salary

The 10 Foreign Language Training Center (FLTC) project, which was completed in 2012, has left 33 officer-employees without a salary due to the government’s failure to assimilate them into the revenue sector.

In 2017, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the workers, stating that they should be assimilated into the revenue sector. However, the government appealed the decision, and the workers have been waiting for a resolution ever since.

Background of the Project

The FLTC project was established by the Department of Secondary and Higher Education (MAUSI) to provide foreign language training to students. A total of 35 officer-workers were recruited for the project, which was initially set to end in 2012. However, the project was extended until March 31, 2017.

Struggle for Assimilation

In 2016, the workers filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking assimilation into the revenue sector. The court ruled in their favor, but the government appealed the decision. The workers then filed a contempt petition against the government for failing to implement the court’s ruling.

The Ministry of Public Administration has refused to approve the assimilation of the workers, despite the Law and Judiciary Department of the Ministry of Law recommending in favor of the transfer.

Workers’ Plight

The workers have been living without a salary for several years, causing them extreme suffering and social degradation. They have approached the government multiple times, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

Shaheen Hossain, an office assistant, said, “We were promised that we would be assimilated into the revenue sector after the project period ended. But that has not happened. We have been living without a salary since then.”

Shahidul Islam, a computer operator, said, “We filed a writ petition in 2016 seeking assimilation into the revenue sector. The court ruled in our favor, but the government appealed. We have been waiting for a resolution ever since.”

Call for Action

The workers have requested the government to take immediate action to assimilate them into the revenue sector or provide them with a regular notification of consent. They have also requested the Ministry of Education to implement the court’s ruling and provide them with financial benefits.