Grameenphone has claimed it has shed some excess jobs as part of its efforts to reorganise the business and that those leaving are being given severance benefits as per the law.
Bangladesh's largest mobile-phone operator by subscription clarified its position after some employees demonstrated before its headquarters in Gulshan's Bashundhara on Sunday morning on hearing the news of their job loss.
According to the authorities, the agitating staff stopped colleagues from entering the GP House. The management sat with the demonstrators at noon.
"Talks are going on and efforts are on to resolve the issue through dialogue," the company's Chief Communications Officer Kazi Monirul Kabir told reporters around 3:30pm.
The official said rules were followed in serving 48 employees with termination notices.
"At Grameenphone, jobs are terminated in line with the law and telecom regulator BTRC and the telecommunication ministry have been notified," Kabir said.
He maintained that the job cuts were part of the ongoing restructuring of operations. "Those who fail to pass the test are retrenched in accordance with the law."
The 48 did not come through the test, he further said. "They were served with notice as per law and they were on leave since."
"They prevented other employees from entering the office when they could not enter the office (Sunday) morning."
He claimed the morning agitation was joined by some outsiders. Those who could not come to office had to work online, he added.
Asked whether GP will shed more jobs, Kabir said, "Grameenphone does not make job cuts targeting its employees. Telecom industry is a dynamic industry where technologies are changing every moment."
The restructuring would give GP flexibility to adopt to new technologies, he suggested.
"And so, employees undergo training and those failing to pass the test after training have to go," he explained.
Apart from shedding extra manpower, fresh appointments are also made to man new technologies, the Chief Communications Officer said.
Responding to the allegation that those in the senior management do not lose their jobs, Kabir said, "From the high officials to a general staff all must go through the same process. Taking a look into the last few years will show that many high officials [had to leave]."
He said the company axed 150 jobs in the last one year.
When asked whether there was any employees' association in Grameenphone, he said, "We have received an e-mail from association regarding the matter. (Majority stakeholder) Telenor's law provides of association but that has to be done through talks with the authorities."
The terminated employees staged their protest programme under the banner of Grameen Phone Employees Association.
Identifying himself as the General Secretary of the Association, Shafiqur Rahman Masud said they had five demands to place before the authorities.
They alleged the terminations were 'unethical' and they were informed about the decision only verbally.
Their other demands include announcement of a reasonable annual increment, proper compensation for the terminated employees, payment of arrears including 5 percent benefit and trial of those behind "all illegal activities of the company".
BTRC Chairman Zia Ahmed had talks with Grameenphone Chief Executive Officer Tore Johnsen following the agitation.
Ahmed told reporters the company was advised to move slowly before making any decision and asked to ensure that the situation was calmed down.
He said in a letter BTRC asked the company to clarify four specific points including its appointment process and organogram. The company was also asked to give the regulatory body a list of people currently appointed against the managerial position and above.
BTRC has also asked for service regulations of the company, a copy of Employment Restructuring Policy and details about the process of review of its employees.
Grameenphone has been asked to provide the information by July 11.
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