Banglalink shut down its headquarters in Dhaka and all other offices in the country yesterday, following a standoff between the management and employees over the sacking of an official. The company, which is the second largest mobile operator in the country with 32 million subscribers, said the closure of its offices was only for a day. “The headquarters of Banglalink, Tigers’ Den, in Dhaka, was closed at 2.10pm today (Sunday). It’s only for today,” Banglalink’s assistant manager (public relations and communications) Ankit Sureka said. A statement issued yesterday by the mobile operator said, “As part of normal business process, Banglalink discontinued the service of one senior manager on Thursday, February 11, 2016. This had led to some discontent and dissatisfaction among some of his colleagues and unfortunately, a group of employees, former employees and outsiders blocked the entrance of our corporate office.”
“Today During normal discussion, one employee fell sick and he was immediately rushed to hospital but unfortunately again some employees become emotional and gathered to express their concern. In the light of the situation, office was closed today around 2pm,” it said. Trouble first erupted at Banglalink on Thursday, when the company suddenly dismissed senior engineer Shariful Islam, a leader of Banglalink Employees’ Union (BLEU). Later, employees confined the chief technical officer, Perihane Elhamy, in her office for nine hours in protest. She managed to leave the office only after police and the management assured the agitators that the matter would be looked into.
BLEU president Ujjal Paul told reporters that the employees tried to gather in front of the company’s head office at Gulshan to protest. “As per our schedule, we had gathered at 8am to protest against the dismissal. But we were not allowed there by law enforcers. We then moved inside the office to protest,” he added. Paul alleged that, at one point, officials of the human resource department called the union’s organising secretary Mostaque for a meeting, and then harassed him. “Forensic investigator Maj. (retd) Selim Kabir, security manager Maj. (retd) Sheikh Moinul Hasan and head of operations Maruf Ahmed called Mostaque to Level-3 at 12pm. They interrogated Mostaque and, at one point, he fell on the ground. He was admitted to a private hospital. We were not allowed to see him,” he added. “When the workers took up position in front of the CEO’s office, the management announced closure of all offices in the country. The workers then left the offices,” Paul said. The union leader said they would continue their agitation till Shariful was reinstated. Earlier in the day, a huge contingent of Rapid Action Battalion, police and private security personnel, along with the Dog Squad, were deployed in front of Banglalink’s head office in Gulshan.