Diploma engineers perform 1-hr extra duty seeking 4-point demand

Setting a unique example, around 5 lakh diploma engineers have discharged extra 1-hour duties today to fulfill their 4-point demands.

When protesters usually observe work abstention to meet their demands, the diploma engineers did their extra duties from 5pm to 6 pm at the government offices, autonomous institutions and also private companies under the banner of Bangladesh Diploma Engineering Student-Teacher-Professional Parished.

They also protested against the cutting short diploma engineering courses from 4 years to 3 years.

Sirajul Islam, joint convener of the parished, told The Business Standard that the diploma engineers have been working in the field and they are also related to the development activities directly in the country.

"We have to work in fulltime with honesty and liabilities. So, we have decided to observe a different programme. And we did extra 1-hour duty as part of our protests to meet our demand," he said.

"We will also observe rallies and human-chain at all the offices on 15 September across the country. We will continue the protests until the demands are met," he added.

Their other demands are including issue gazette of the Dhaka Building Construction Rules, 2008 with amendment following recommendation of inter-ministerial meeting.

The protesters also sought arrangements of special increment, promotion quota hike into 50 percent and standard salaries for all the diploma engineers, and resolving all the crisis at the technical educational institutions and ensure jobs for all unemployed diploma graduates.