Violation of rules
I got a job in DEPZ, Savar, on 1 Sept. 04, but was not issued an appointment letter. I was verbally told that I would be given a salary of Tk 20, 000 per month. But at the end of the month (on 30 September) I was given much less . I saw a mention in the payment voucher that I was dismissed from service on 1 October. I was shown no cause or given no prior notice before "dismissal" from service. I got the reduced salary as I took 2 days' leave during the flood and I was late by some minutes (2 minutes on a day) on some days due to disruption in bus service. On one occasion the bus got stuck up due to accident of another bus on the road and on some other days it was late due to severe road jam. The company accepts no excuse. They cut one day's salary for every three days late arrival even by a minute. But they would pay for no extra time work, however long it might be. I was to attend meetings on weekend and often after office hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) on workdays, but this overtime work was neither recouped from the delayed arrival in the morning or by overtime payment.
Dismissal from service without adopting disciplinary measures or issuing prior warning is illegal and keeping people employed without issuing appointment letter is also illegal. I guess I was dismissed as I insisted on issuance of an appointment letter to me. But they have no provision of office discipline or regulation made known to their workers either generally or individually with appointment letter . The employees don't even know BEPZA regulations. So they are at a loss to understand what to do to seek redress from injustices meted out to them.
It is expected that the authorities would show some concern for the Bangladeshi citizens working in EPZs and come up with regulations to protect their minimum interests.
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