Jumbangla Desk: Along with men, women workers are also performing duties in managing Padma Bridge and collecting tolls. They are working non-stop even in storms and rains, droughts and festivals. These employees are recruited through Teletel Communications Limited. As a result, Teletel Communications is deducting at least 70 percent of the salary paid by the bridge authority to these workers. From the report made by the voice of time, the details are highlighted:

According to related sources, the Bangladesh Bridge Authority pays a toll collector 64,000 taka per month. But the toll collectors get a salary of only 14 thousand taka from Teletel at the beginning of the job. Then they were paid 16 thousand taka. Currently, those who have been employed for one and a half to two years are getting a salary of Tk 22,000.

And those who have one and a half years of service are getting a salary of Tk 20,000. The pay sheet also mentions the fixed salary of the bridge authority. But the signatures of the employees were taken keeping the salary column secret. Currently 44 workers are working as toll collectors on Padma Bridge.

Among them there are 12 women. Teletel is looting 50 thousand or 78.13 percent from the salary of each toll collector at the beginning of the job. In this, 22 lakh taka per month and 2 crore 64 lakh per year are being looted from the salary of toll collectors. Similarly, a huge amount of money is being looted from the salary of 130 employees of various positions including toll manager, administrative staff, PC management, traffic monitoring controller, toll cleaner.

Teletel also did not follow the prescribed qualification and experience while hiring the staff at low salary. Again, many less educated people are working in big positions. There are various problems in the collection of toll money.

Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan, advisor of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges said, 'I have not received any complaint in this regard. However, if the news is published in the media, the matter will be investigated.

Bangladesh Bridge Authority Chief Engineer Kazi Md. Ferdous said, 'There have been some complaints about paying less to the workers. For this I have asked Teletel to send the salary statement. Earlier they were also asked for salary statement. They then provided some information, but it was incomplete.

If the salary increases, the job will go

It is known that many people were forced to leave their jobs because they could not manage their families with low salaries. Again, the authorities have forced many high-paid workers to quit their jobs. Because hiring new workers can pay less. For this reason, before the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, about 50 toll collectors joined on June 11, 2022, but only eight are currently working. At least seven toll managers have changed in two years. Many administrative staff have also changed.

When asked about this, Padma Multipurpose Bridge Toll Collector Fazlul Haque said, 'All the toll collectors have submitted an application for salary increase. Don't know any progress yet. But it is being discussed.' He said, 'Our government salary is very high. But we don't get paid accordingly. It has become difficult to run a family with such a low salary at this time of rising commodity prices.'

Similarly, most of the toll collectors including Sagar Hossain, Mitu Sikder, Nahida Akhtar, Badal Hossain, Afroza Akhtar, Chandan Chowdhury, Fatema Akhtar said that their salary is less than 35 percent of the fixed salary of the bridge authority. And Tasmin, the administrative staff of Padma Bahumukhi Setu, told Kal Kantha, 'I have just joined. I don't know the internal problems well yet.'

Work without tender, missing salary statement

According to the sources of the bridge authority, several complaints were submitted to the bridge authority regarding the embezzlement of salary money. After that, due to the pressure of the bridge authorities, the salary of the workers was paid into the bank account but the money was not increased. As a result, the bridge authorities directed Teletel Communications Limited several times to submit the salary statements of their employed employees. But Teletel Communications has been unable to provide salary statements to employees.

Korea Express Corporation (KEC) and China's Major Bridge Engineering Limited (MBEC) have been entrusted with the maintenance and toll collection of the Padma Bridge. They have been hired for five years at Rs 693 crore. They are responsible for collecting tolls on behalf of the bridge department, installing weight measuring devices at both ends of the bridge, installing CCTV cameras on the bridge and ancillary repairs. Teletel Communications Limited is working on subcontract for this. It is alleged that Teletel got the job by influencing senior officials during the Awami League government. Because they did not get this job through tender. On June 25, 2022, the much-desired Padma Bridge, the largest structure of Bangladesh, was inaugurated.

Bangladesh Bridge Authority Chief Engineer Kazi Md. Ferdous said, 'Teletel did not get work through tender. Korea Express Corporation (KEC) was mentioned as a subcontractor in the proposal. They are working accordingly. Now everything will be looked at and necessary measures will be taken.'

Teletel Communications Limited Managing Director (MD) Fariduddin Khan's mobile phone was called several times to talk about it, but he did not receive. After that, when the Teletel office was contacted, the concerned officials said that he did not come to the office.

Raihanul Haque, spokesperson and head of HR department of Teletel Communications Limited, said, 'Currently 130 of our workers are working on Padma Bridge. Apply whether they are getting their fixed salary or not. However, it is forbidden to give information about this. And how much money is being paid to the workers, it is a confidential matter.

On August 14, 44 toll collectors working at Mawa and Jazira toll plazas have applied to the Managing Director of Teletel Communications Limited for salary increase. The petition states that on August 11, the salary of some toll collectors was increased by two thousand rupees, which is not commensurate with the rising commodity prices. In the current situation it has become difficult for us to bear the cost of living. Therefore, we strongly demand to increase our salary to 30 thousand rupees.