Media: The Independent
Acute manpower shortage has forced the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) to bank on the services of unapproved staff to meet the demands of an ever-growing city and population. Sources said the CCC has been running as per the manpower structure approved in 1988. According to the structure, the CCC needs government clearance to appoint officials and other employees.
However, the ministry concerned has not approved the appointment of any new manpower for the past 27 years.
This has led the civic body to appoint 3,835 workers on an ad hoc basis to runs its activities. Sources such temporary workers comprise 54 per cent of the total CCC workforce of 7,175 people. Moreover, they do not have permanent status since their appointment has not been approved by the ministry concerned. This has led to a sense of uncertainty over job security among the temporary staff, some of whom have been working for the CCC for the past several years now.
“I have been working in the CCC on temporary basis for the past 20 years. The authorities are yet to make my job permanent. Unfortunately, I am now well over the age limit to apply for a government job. I may lose this job any day and then I don’t know what I will do,” a worker said on condition of anonymity. Another worker said, “I have been serving in the electricity department for the past 10 years. Since my job is temporary, I do not get the facilities enjoyed by the permanent staff. However, the new mayor has assured us that he will take steps to make our jobs permanent.”
CCC secretary Abdur Rashid admitted to recruiting workforce on ad hoc basis.
“It is impossible to run the activities of a city corporation for 60 lakh people on the basis of the 27-year-old manpower structure,” Rashid told The Independent. “The authorities have not approved any manpower for CCC since 1988. In the meantime, the population and the length of city limits have been increasing. Therefore, we have no alternative but to recruit temporary staff to maintain civic services in Chittagong,” he said.
“In 2013, we had sent a proposal to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operative for approving the appointment of 2,400 new staffers and officials. The ministry has given its approval. The file is now awaiting approval from the finance ministry,” the secretary added. “After getting the approval, we will fill up the vacant posts from those people who have been serving on temporary basis for many years. The age limit will be exempted for them,” Rashid said. The city corporation now pays over Tk. 9 crore as salary to its staffers and officials. This includes the salary of the temporary staff paid from the CCC’s own funds. Md Murshedul Alam Chowdhury, secretary of CCC Sramik o Karmochari League, said, “We had discussed the issue with our former mayor, but nothing came out of it. The newly elected mayor has assured us that he will take steps to make the jobs of temporary staff permanent. He has also promised to hike the pay scale for the temporary staff.”
