Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has laid off 120 temporary employees ahead of Eid.
In an official order issued last Thursday, RCC's acting secretary, Taimur Rahman, announced the termination of these employees, which will take effect from April 1.
The letter titled "Dismissal of temporary workers due to the closure of non-authorized departments/sections and necessary staff adjustments" lists a total of 165 employees. Among them, 120 individuals are marked as "no longer needed" and have been dismissed, while the remaining 45 workers have been reassigned to different departments.
When asked about the decision, Taimur Rahman, acting secretary of RCC, explained that due to the closure of certain unauthorized departments, there was no longer a need for these employees. However, the 45 employees deemed necessary have been retained.
This is not the first time RCC has implemented such a measure. In November of the previous year, 161 temporary workers were also laid off.
The repeated layoffs have drawn criticism from civil rights organizations.
Ahmed Safiuddin, president of Rajshahi district branch of Shushanar Janniya Nagorik (SHUJAN), described the layoffs as inhumane, especially given economic struggles people are already facing.
He emphasized that when people lose their jobs, it often leads them down a negative path, and the situation could be exacerbated if more people are rendered unemployed.
Safiuddin also pointed out that RCC is responsible for over 50 public services and reducing staff will only worsen the situation, leaving citizens struggling to access essential services.
He suggested that if previous administrations had made politically motivated appointments, it was their mistake, not the employees' fault. He expressed concerns that future hires might be politically motivated, which would be a continuation of the same issues.
Responding to the criticism, Taimur Rahman stated that he had no further comments on the matter, as he had merely signed the letter based on instructions from higher authorities.
RHF/SH
