WASA CBAs must show sense of responsibility

The CBA (Collective Bargaining Authority) is the organization representing employees and workers to exchange opinions between the workers and the owners. The CBAs play very important role in national institutions and factories. Dhaka WASA has only a few CBAs working under the Department of Labour. They perform their duties as per their convenience and are present at office seldom, some are absent all the days of the month. Some come to the office two or four days a month and of course late. Even though this trend continues after the political changes, they receive their salaries on time at the end of the month. They are all leaders of the pro-BNP workers' union of Dhaka WASA.

According to news published in the media on Thursday (April 17), in 2018, the then Managing Director (MD) of WASA, Taksim A Khan, introduced biometric attendance in every regional offices including the head office to prevent office evasion. Since then, officials and employees used to show their presence in the office by pressing their fingers or showing their faces on the biometric device. The previous WASA administration was also quite strict about the attendance. At that time, Taksim did not allow any irregularities by the CBA (Collective Bargaining Authority) leaders in WASA to increase. After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, the pro-BNP CBA leaders became active overnight. They also allocated a 2,000 square foot office on the fourth floor of the WASA building by showing their dominance. This further increased the influence of the CBA leaders.

According to the information received, they are seen busy with party activities or lobbying for transfers and appointments. Their dominance is so high that no one dares to say anything. Instead of taking disciplinary action, the WASA authorities are forced to accept their additional demands. Collecting information on the attendance of the top three leaders of CBA, it is seen that General Secretary Monir Hossain Patwari is the one who is absent the most from work. He was present at work for only four days in the eight months from September 1 to March 27. Similarly, CBA President Azizul Alam Khan has been in office for only 11 days in the last eight months.

If this continues, an important institution like WASA cannot remain effective in any way. If the CBA is ineffective, other officials also get opportunities to evade and the interests of the workers are not protected. We want the CBAs to show responsibility. BNP has not come to power yet; but looking at the attitude of the pro-BNP labour leaders, it seems that they are the ones in power now. And if such irregularities occur, people will lose trust in the BNP as well. They certainly do not want the entire party to be accused of negligence and irregularities by any leader or activist. The BNP central committee should also make its labour leaders aware of their own sense of responsibility.