A group of employees of the Family Planning Association of Bangladesh staged a sit-in and protest rally on Wednesday, demanding 21 months of unpaid salaries for the current staff and gratuity for all former employees.
They also demanded payment of their due salaries and allowances, the resignation of current president Mosud Mannan and his associates, steps to restore the organisation鈥檚 membership with their principal donor International Planned Parenthood Federation, an end to harassment transfer of employees, and the approval to form an FPAB staff-employee council.
On behalf of the protesters, the organisation鈥檚 Khulna programme coordinator Mushfiqur Rahman read out a written statement, outlining their demands during the protest rally in front of the National Press Club.
Their sit-in began on Tuesday in front of the Family Planning Association headquarters in the capital鈥檚 Naya Paltan, when they vowed to continue the protest until their demands were met.
Mushfiqur Rahman said that non-governmental organisation FPAB, established in 1953, had been working focusing on sexual health and reproductive rights through advocacy and services, especially for poor and vulnerable people, while operating in line with the constitution and rules of its donor, the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
He further stated that problem began when Planned Parenthood suspended FPAB鈥檚 membership after a section associated with the organisation formed an executive committee in 2022 by unlawfully changing the organisation鈥檚 constitution.
Although that executive committee was later dissolved, problem persisted as FPAB could not get back its membership of Planned Parenthood, protesters said.
They blamed current president Mosud Mannan, who assumed the office on December 30 last year, for the situation, saying that Mosud, colluding with some 鈥榗orrupt employees,鈥� did not appropriately communicate with the Planned Parenthood Federation, as a result of which the donor granted membership and funding to another organisation, plunging the FPAB into further uncertainty with its 760 employees working in 21 districts facing hardship.聽
They also alleged that Mosud Mannan, formerly a Bangladesh ambassador to Turkey, was embezzling money from the FPAB through corruption.
He was also holding the position of executive director of the organisation, without appointing anyone to the post, which was unconstitutional, protesters said.
During a visit to the headquarters on Wednesday, Mosud was not found in the office. He did not either receive 抖阴精品 phone call seeking comments.
Personnel officer Nazrul Islam, whom the protesters alleged had been forcibly taking on the role of a human resource and admin officer, told 抖阴精品 that he was transferred to the position in 2016.聽
To resolve the on-going issue, he said a meeting would be held on Thursday with district presidents, national councillors and executive committee.
