18 Officials Dismissed from Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project
Eighteen officials and employees of the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna, have been dismissed from their service.
In a letter, they have been barred from entering the project site. The individuals were employed by the Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL).
The decision was formally communicated through two letters signed by NPCBL’s Managing Director, Md. Zahedul Hasan, issued last Thursday. The dismissed employees received the letters on Saturday.
According to Ruhul Quddus, the Site In-Charge of the Rooppur project, the matter has been reported to the head of the project's security agency. However, he declined to provide further details.
The termination notice stated that the services of these individuals were no longer required by NPCBL, effective from May 8. All dismissed employees will receive three months' salary as notice pay.
The second letter imposed a restriction on their access to the project, stating: “In the interest of security, entry of the 18 officials and employees to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant construction site and the residential area of Green City is hereby prohibited.”
The dismissed employees include: Deputy Chief Superintendent Md. Hasan Ali, Senior Assistant Managers Shahidul Islam, Abu Raihan, Rafiqul Hasan, Zainal Hossain, Naeem Al Sakib, Abu Said, A.K.M. Abdullah Al Amin, Shah Ikhtiyar Alam, Ibrahim Khalilullah, Assistant Managers Abdullah Al Noman, Asif Khan, Mohammad Imam Ul Arefin, Md. Ikram, Md. Ruhul Amin, Sub-Assistant Manager Ismail Hasan, Rubel Hossain, and Technician Firoz Ahmed.
The dismissed personnel claim that all 18 were skilled professionals, with 12 of them being graduates from BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology). They reportedly received multiple rounds of specialized training in Russia.
They alleged that the dismissals were a retaliatory move for protesting against what they describe as the arbitrary actions of the managing director. They condemned the decision and demanded reinstatement in the interest of the project. Otherwise, they said, they would seek legal action.
One of the dismissed engineers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said employees are suppressed whenever they raise demands.
He claimed that those who protested were selectively targeted for dismissal. Families living in the project’s residential area have been ordered to vacate within three days, causing serious distress.
In response, NPCBL Managing Director Md. Zahedul Hasan stated that the decision was taken following appropriate investigation and procedures, and in the interest of maintaining company discipline and security.
It is worth noting that for several weeks, NPCBL officials and employees had been staging protests, demanding the removal of the managing director and addressing various grievances.
On May 6, they organized a human chain and press conference in Ishwardi, followed by demonstrations and sit-ins at the project site on May 7.
