The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Some 400 engineers and non-engineering cadre-service officials of the newly created Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) are now in a dilemma over future of their career following the transformation of the state-owned telecom sector.

After the creation of the new state-owed public limited company BTCL, these cadre officials of the defunct Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) were asked to join the new entity without mentioning the status of their service under the new management.

The BTTB officials joined the BTCL in compliance with government order and since they have been working under the new corporate body in the country's telecom sector.

The BTCL started functioning on July 1, 2008 by taking over all assets and liabilities of the now-defunct BTTB.

However, on July 16, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPoT) issued an order asking the new management to define the status of their officials and employees and inform the ministry about the matter.

The ministry also asked the BTCL management to prepare the terms and conditions for the officials and employees. But, up till now, the BTCL management could not put in place any "service terms and conditions" for the staff members. Expressing frustration, a senior official of BTCL, who joined from the BTTB as a telecom cadre officer, said under the new company nothing but the name did change.

This official noted that under the new corporate body, they have to work under a new business competition with other private telephone operators.

"But, we don't have any discretionary powers to take our own decision for the sake of our own business. Still, we have to seek decision from the higher authority in addressing any case relating to either customer service or business improvement," said the official on condition of anonymity.

He said everything in BTCL moves in the old style of BTTB, which creates only frustration among the officials and employees.

Post and Telecoms Ministry sources said the government might have to face complications in dealing with the cadre officers in the BTCL as their recruitment was under the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Since July 1, two new state-owned public limited companies have been created by the caretaker government under a reform recipe.

Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd. (DPDC) was created dissolving the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) while BTCL came out from BTTB.

But in DPDC, all the officials and employees were recruited under fresh appointment to a 3-year term under a new enhanced salary structure.

On the other hand, BTTB officials and employees were absorbed in the BTCL under the old appointment with old salary structure.