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No plan to axe Rlymen: Oli

By Staff Correspondent
Communications Minister Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed yesterday categorically denied that the government was planning to retrench excess employees of the Bangladesh Halfway (HR).
’ Addressing a press conference at the ministry, he, however, admitted, while referring to an earlier Aslan Development Bank (ADB) survey, that presently there were 13,000 excess employees In the railway sector.
But, he declared: "Not a single (railway department)
employee will be retrenched,' while denying newspaper reports that 16,000 BR employees would be retrenched.
He said that a voluntary and optional retirement programme with full benefits for those who had already completed over 20 years of service would be initiated to reduce the number of excess employees. He noted that 3.000 employees had already gone on retirement.
According to documents provided at the press conference, the ministry has pro-
posed "to get rid of 10,000 staff on voluntary and optional retirement on payment of severance compensation and • about 6,000 staff will be reduced through normal attrition over a period of five years. "
An estimated Taka 2800 million would be required for severance payment of the 10,000 staff members, according to the Railway department's formula package submitted’ to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and is awaiting approval.
However, the document added that 1t had been agreed between the Railway depart ment and the MOF that a sum of Taka 1000 million would be provided In the budget for the 1902-93 period for this pur poae
The Minister said that 18 Railway officials had been given forced retirement on charges of corruption and Inefficiency while a ban was Imposed on new recruitment.
He added that a series of measures had been taken up al the recommendations of ADB to make the Railway depart ment deficit-free by the fiscal year 1994 95
The measures Include glv Ing priority to carrying goods and speedy clearing of container traffic, strengthening of general and special ticket checking and the formation of 83 focal advisory committees and a Railway advisory commit tee at the centre.
OH Ahmed said that the Railway sector s total loss had been reduced to Taka 125 crore during 1991-92 from more than Taka 150 crore a year earlier.
He said that the BR had earned Taka 220.19 crore in the first eleven months of the current financial year compared to Taka 199.32 crore during 1990-91.
Earnings of all major rail stations including Dhaka. Chittagong. Dtnajpur, Bogra, Shantahar, Khulna and Rajshahi had Increased during the period.
lie pointed out that the
Dhaka railway station earned Taka 24.33 crore In the current financial year as against Taka 19.49 erore sf the previous year and the Ch1tta0>ng station earned Taka 20 49 crore compared Io Taha 16.49 crore the year before
Replying to a questton, the Communications Minister said Ihnl there Is no plan to reduce the non profitable passenger train service further tn the Mature.
The ministry document pointed out that so (ar 42 nonprofit able passenger trains nave been cancelled and two branch lines have been closed down.
The MOF has already agreed to provide public service obligation payment In the next budget for operating un-renumeratire services' The amount initially agreed upon was Taka 580 million with a proposal to reduce it gradually, the document added.
UNB adds: The Communication Minister said a road development project under an Asian Development Bsmk assis lance of 108.292 million SDR has been taken up.
The project includes development of 76 km of Daud-kandl-Fenl section of Dhaka-Chittagong highway. 107 km of Dohajari Cox's Bazar road. 147 km of Dau latdla- Farid pur -Jhe-nidah- Kushtia rood and 330 km development works of Dhaka Chlttagong-Dohajarl road.
He said the ADB would also extend assistance tn the development works of road network between Dhaka-Sylhet. Dhaka-Tangail. Dhaka-Aricha. Dhaka-Daudkandi, Feni-Chittagong and Chlttagong-Dohajarl.
Referring to Jamuna bridge, the minster said the tender for the project would be floated tn the first week of September and repair works on the damaged bridge over river Karnafuly would start within next two months. He said about Tk 380 crore has been collected as Jamqna bridge levy so far.
When his attention was drawn to a news item about retrenchment of some workers of Roads and Highways department, OH Ahmed said no permanent staff was sacked but admitted that 701 workers under master roll recruited illegally by some engineers were terminated.
He said the Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways was removed from the post for employing workers in violation of government rules.
OH Ahmed, who attended the 3-day ministerial level meeting of ESCAP in Bangkok from June 3 to 5, said the participants at the conference lauded the role of Bangladesh government in development the country's communication sector.
He said during his stay there he exchanged views with some of his counterparts.