Highlights
- DMTC regular officers and staff to begin full work stoppage and suspend all passenger services from Friday, 12 December at 7 AM
- Protest due to failure to publish an independent service rule within the previously given deadline
- Daily peaceful sit-in to be held in front of the DMTCL headquarters
- Employees blame the delay on the unresolved “Special Provisions” chapter of the proposed service rule
- Strike threatens to disrupt travel for hundreds of thousands of metro passengers
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTC) regular officers and employees have announced a complete strike starting from Friday (12 December) at 7 AM, citing the failure of the authorities to prepare and publish a comprehensive service rule within the agreed deadline.
The announcement was made through an official press release. According to the statement, staff members will also hold a peaceful sit-in demonstration every day in front of the DMTCL headquarters until their demands are met.
12 Years Without a Service Rule
DMTCL was established in 2013, yet even after 12 years, more than 900 officers and employees still do not have an approved service rule.
Since the commercial operation of the metro rail began on 28 December 2022, employees recruited through open competition have been performing their duties day and night, but they remain deprived of several fundamental benefits including:
- Official leave
- Contributory Provident Fund (CPF)
- Gratuity
- Shift allowance / overtime
- Group insurance
Employees say these essential benefits should have been guaranteed through a proper service rule, which remains unfinished.
According to the employees, an advisory committee instructed the authority on 12 September 2024 to finalize the service rule within 60 working days, but no visible progress was made.
Later, following their protest on 13 February 2025, the authority promised to finalize the rules by 20 March, but that assurance also went unfulfilled. This nine-month delay has created growing frustration and anger among the workforce.
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In a meeting with the Managing Director on 10 December, employees were informed that the Board of Directors had agreed on almost all sections of the service rule. However, the 11th chapter, titled “Special Provisions,” remains the key obstacle.
This chapter contains a proposal to absorb metro rail project staff into DMTCL. Employees argue that such integration violates existing national laws and contradicts Supreme Court rulings. They claim that although the Board is willing to remove this controversial chapter, “external pressure” is delaying the publication of the service rule.
With a full work stoppage beginning Friday, severe inconvenience is expected to be faced by millions of metro commuters. However, it is being stated by the employees that the responsibility lies entirely with the DMTCL authority.
They claimed that their careers, salary structures, and basic rights cannot be secured without a proper service rule. It was further stated that promises will no longer be accepted and that only the published service rule can resolve the crisis.
Source: News 24
