Human Chain in Front of National Press Club.

Akramul Hossain, Staff Reporters. A human chain was held in front of the National Press Club on Monday, July 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM. The program was organized by the Grameenphone 5% Delay Arrears Recovery Unity Council. Leaders of various national labor organizations,trade union representatives, labor rights activists, human rights activists, lawyers, teachers, students, civil society representatives, and journalists attended the gathering.Labor leaders including Babul Akter and labor leader,Kalpana Akter addressed the rally. The speakers claimed that former workers of Grameenphone have been deprived of their legal dues for the last 16 yearsAccording to them, under the relevant sections of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006,the current amount of legal dues with delay stands at approximately Tk 33,147 crore. However,with the aim of resolving the long-standing dispute, they have proposed a settlement under which each worker would receive Tk 10 crore after tax payment. They stated that such a settlement would generate significant tax revenue for the state and also bring an end to the prolonged dispute. The speakers alleged that despite 19 months of peaceful programs,no effective initiative has been taken regarding their demands.Instead, they claimed that protesters have faced attacks,harassing lawsuits,arrests, and intimidation. The speakers also expressed concern over Writ Petition No. 8464/2026 In their view, this writ could affect workers' earned rights, particularly benefits related to WPPF/WWF and the 5% profit-sharing, provision. They urged the court and relevant authorities to review the matter with due importance. They further stated that the Labour Law was enacted to ensure the rightful rights and protection of all working people in the country.Therefore, workers,legally earned rights should not be undermined in any way. After the rally, a delegation of the protesters submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Labour and Employment,The memorandum demanded the immediate settlement of long-standing dues of former Grameenphone workers, an end to worker harassment and repression, proper implementation of labour laws, and a review of the potential impact of the writ petition.