After 13 consecutive days of a sit-in programme, the daily-wage employees of Jahangirnagar University (JU) has started a fast-unto-death protest demanding job regularization.
As they did not get any assurance from the university administration regarding this issue, they took a stand in front of the new administrative building on Sunday morning (July 30).
The employees alleged that they have given memorandum to the administration three times since 2020. They also formed human chains several times for the same.
This year, on 2 January, the administration gave a verbal assurance of appointing them to various halls, departments and offices on a priority basis within six months.
However, even after six months of assurance, the administration has failed to fulfil their commitment.
They also claimed that the temporary employees are not being appointed despite the appointment of others in various posts.
Nasreen Akhtar, an office assistant of Jahanara Imam Hall, said, ‘We have not seen any action by the administration to regularize our posts even after observing the sit-in programme for 13 days.
Meanwhile, on 18 July, the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and former Vice-Chancellor Prof Shariff Enamul Kabir came to talk to us. At that time, Prof Shariff said that a delegation would meet with UGC on 27 July and make some positive arrangements for us. But the registrar said after the meeting that UGC has not given any new posts. It is better to go back to our respective workplaces.
We will continue the strike until we get any written assurance regarding job regularization, she added.
JU VC Prof Md. Nurul Alam and Treasurer Prof Rasheda Akhtar were called over the phone several times, but they did not answer. According to their personal secretaries, they are both swamped with meetings.
However, prior to that, Prof Rasheda Akhtar told the media that we, too, wanted to appoint them. But how can we appoint them if they don’t have any qualifications? Some posts, such as electricians and plumbers, have been filled in the new halls, but current staff did not apply since they were ineligible to apply. The positions for which the employees applied are no longer vacant.
However, as per the registrar’s office, a total of 142 employees are working on a daily basis. They are paid Tk 400 daily.