Former employees of Grameenphone have submitted a memorandum to the Labour and Employment Adviser in the interim government, urging immediate intervention to recover their long-overdue dues and address what they describe as years of systemic labour rights violations.
The memorandum, submitted on Sunday, accuses Grameenphone of 15 years of exploitation, including forced terminations and the withholding of their legally mandated 5% profit-sharing payments.
Led by Abu Sadat Mohammad Shoaib, Convener of the Grameenphone 5% Dues Recovery Unity Council, the delegation called for prompt action under Bangladeshi labour law. They alleged that Grameenphone, while benefiting from foreign investment privileges, has consistently violated legal and ethical obligations toward its local workforce.
The document outlines a series of grievances spanning over fifteen years, detailing what they describe as systemic labour rights violations by the company.
One of the central allegations is Grameenphone’s failure to comply with a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) issued in 2010, which mandated that 5% of the company’s profits be shared with employees. The workers claim this legal requirement was ignored, depriving them of their rightful share of company earnings.
Another major concern is the reported illegal termination of at least 212 workers, including union organisers. These dismissals were allegedly carried out in retaliation for efforts to form a union and advocate for employee rights.
The workers argue that such actions were not only unethical but also a direct violation of their constitutional and legal rights to organise.
In addition, the memorandum accuses Grameenphone of defying a 2013 interim court order. According to the employees, instead of complying with the judgment, the company delayed payments and pressured workers into signing waivers under duress, effectively denying them justice.
The workers also highlighted what they describe as mass dismissals and outsourcing under the current CEO, Yasir Azman.
They allege that more than 3,300 skilled Bangladeshi employees were replaced by foreign contractors, such as Wipro and Genex, suggesting this was part of an effort to align the company’s operations with an “Indian corporate agenda.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company reportedly terminated 159 employees, allegedly in violation of government directives meant to protect workers during the crisis.
The memorandum criticises these layoffs as both unlawful and inhumane, especially given the broader health and economic challenges faced by the country at the time.
Even after a final verdict from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court classified the issue as an “industrial dispute,” the former employees allege that Grameenphone failed to comply with the ruling and continued to withhold their dues, further obstructing the legal process.
The workers described repeated instances of violent repression during peaceful protests. They claim that police, with administrative backing, used force against demonstrators.
The most recent incident, according to the memorandum, occurred on February 25, 2025, when peaceful protestors were allegedly assaulted and falsely charged by authorities.
The former employees accused Grameenphone of undermining national interests by promoting low-wage foreign labour, deteriorating telecom service quality, and funneling large profits abroad. They argue that the company’s actions have harmed both workers and the broader economy.
In their concluding appeal, the workers urged the Labour Adviser to take personal initiative to ensure justice, recover unpaid dues, and put an end to what they describe as “years of systematic oppression and corporate impunity.”