PWD staffs fear 8,000 job loss
Decision to shift work to ministries protested
Staff Correspondent
More than 18,000 staff of the Public Works Department (PWD) will lose their jobs if the government creates mini engineering cells in different ministries for construction and maintenance works instead of engaging the PWD.Hundreds of PWD staff expressed this fear yesterday at a rally held at its headquarters in the capital to protest the decision of a cabinet committee. They also demanded that a neutral expert team be formed for a probe into the allegations of corruption, if any, in the department. The Cabinet Committee on Public Administration Reforms (Pac) recently decided in principle to empower ministries to undertake construction and maintenance works on their own, alleging corruption in the PWD. Leaders of Bangladesh Public Works Employees Union (BPWEU), PWD Diploma Engineers Association (PDEA) and Public Workers Engineers Association (PWEA) urged the prime minister to intervene and take necessary steps to find out those conspiring against the PWD. They held that creation of such cells would taper the scope of work of the PWD, throwing into uncertainty the future of 18,000 employees and another one and a half crore people who are indirectly involved with the department. They also threatened tough movement including rally, strike and sit-in demonstration if the decision of cabinet committee is not immediately withdrawn. The PWD is responsible for all construction, repair and maintenance under different ministries and directorates except for Bangladesh Railway, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board and the postal department, Abdul Mannan, president of the BPWEU, told the rally. But different ministries including the education ministry and directorates have been creating engineering cells or "mini PWDs" in violation of the rules of business, he added. "Some problems may be there in the department but it should not be closed down…," said Azizur Rahman, president of the PDEA. Omar Faruque Chowdhury, president of the BCS-PWEA, urged the policymakers to take effective steps to address the grievance of the PWD staff. "The PWDs of all countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China are responsible for all government construction, repair and maintenance works, but the cabinet committee decision here is the first of its kind in the world," said Syed Mahfuz Ahmed, secretary general of the PWEA. "Delay in fund allocation and legal complexities over land are the main causes for the PWD's failure to complete tasks in time, but the cabinet committee did not consider these aspects," Abdus Samad, administrative officer of the PWD, told The Daily Star. The staff took out a procession after the rally was over.
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