Manpower shortage haunts Saidpur railway workshop

The normal activities of the country’s biggest railway workshop, located in Saidpur town in Nilphamari district, are being severely hampered as there is a dearth of necessary manpower.

At present, construction activities at the workshop are somehow being carried out with just 33 per cent of the total workforce.

Labour leaders are worried that if such a situation persists, the workshop will cease to function within a short time. Officials of the factory, however, had given an assurance that the necessary manpower would be appointed as soon as possible.

The country’s biggest railway workshop was set up in Saidpur town in Nilphamari district during the rule of the British colonial government. At that time, close to 2,000 different kinds of spare parts of the railways were manufactured here. But now, that figure has come down to just 200.

A few workers told this correspondent recently that a total of 563 skilled workers opted for voluntary retirement through a ‘golden handshake’ scheme in 1991–92. Since then, there has been a dearth of experienced workers here. As a result, activities at the workshop are dwindling day by day.

The divisional officer of the Saidpur railway workshop, Md Muhammad Kudrad-e-Khuda, told The Independent that the appointments of trainees are currently being processed. He said, “After they are appointed, we will no longer have any manpower problem.”

Sources said that at present there are only 1,013 workers against the 3,171 sanctioned posts here.

 

Manpower shortage haunts Saidpur railway workshop

The normal activities of the countrys biggest railway workshop, located in Saidpur town in Nilphamari district, are being severely hampered as there is a dearth of necessary manpower. At present, construction activities at the workshop are somehow being carried out with just 33 per cent of the total workforce. Labour leaders are worried that if such a situation persists, the workshop will cease to function within a short time. Officials of the factory, however, had given an assurance that the necessary manpower would be appointed as soon as possible. The countrys biggest railway workshop was set up in Saidpur town in Nilphamari district during the rule of the British colonial government. At that time, close to 2,000 different kinds of spare parts of the railways were manufactured here. But now, that figure has come down to just 200. A few workers told this correspondent recently that a total of 563 skilled workers opted for voluntary retirement through a golden handshake scheme in 199192. Since then, there has been a dearth of experienced workers here. As a result, activities at the workshop are dwindling day by day. The divisional officer of the Saidpur railway workshop, Md Muhammad Kudrad-e-Khuda, told The Independent that the appointments of trainees are currently being processed. He said, After they are appointed, we will no longer have any manpower problem. Sources said that at present there are only 1,013 workers against the 3,171 sanctioned posts here.