The scientists and staff of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission held a mass gathering at its head office at Agargaon in Dhaka on Sunday to press home their 11-point demand, including restoring autonomy of the commission.听
Representatives of the BAEC also submitted a memorandum of mass signatures collected in favour of the demands to the chief adviser on the same day.
The commission has been holding sit-in programmes since April 23 to press home their demands as the Ministry of Science and Technology has not responded to the 11-point demand.
The demands of the BAEC included the permanent appointment of a chairperson and members to fill vacant posts and form a full commission, an immediate end to ministerial interference in matters under the commission鈥檚 jurisdiction to preserve its autonomy and ensure a respectful as well as research-friendly work environment, and restoration of the commission鈥檚 authority to approve of and nominate scientists for higher education and training abroad.
The demands also included upholding the commission鈥檚 authority鈥攗nder Sections 20(1) and 20(2) of the BAEC Act 2017鈥攖o maintain its funds in scheduled banks and manage necessary expenditures independently, keeping the commission outside the iBAS++ system.
Earlier, the comission鈥檚 employees said that the ministry halted funding for the BAEC, jeopardising the continuity of services and research activities, as well as the payment of salaries to its 2,500 current staff and pensions for its scientists, officers, and employees, over the implementation of the iBAS++ system to manage financial activities.
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