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Chevron exit plan: Fate of 600 employees uncertain

Staff Correspondent
7th March, 2017 01:15:03 AM
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Around 600 employees of Chevron Bangladesh are passing days in uncertainty as the US-based oil giant is preparing to pull out from Bangladesh.

“We are still in the dark about the process for handing over Chevron Bangladesh’s operations to another company. The process should be made clear to the staff as around 94 percent employees are Bangladeshi nationals,” the leaders of Chevron Bangladesh Employees Union said. They also placed a demand to the senior of management of Chevron Bangladesh in this regard.

“We fear that we will have to lose our jobs and will be deprived of proper compensation as per the labour law if the authorities don’t maintain transparency in the process,” they said at a press conference.

They also demanded to include the employees’ union in the process to help the affected staff get their rights after Chevron winds up its operation in Bangladesh. The employees union will form a human chain at their office premises on Wednesday to press home their demand.

Mohammad Nasim Azim, president of Chevron Bangladesh Employees Union, said the employees were well informed about the entire process when Chevron took over the assets from Unicol. “But we are in dark about the process in the last seven months,” he said.

SM Shahriar Abedin, general secretary of the employees union, said they want to sit with the Chevron authorities to clear the uncertainty.

Tareq Ahmed Robin, executive member, and Ehsan Hafiz, member of the Chevron Bangladesh Employees Union were present at the press conference.

Three gas fields --- Bibiyana, Jalalabad and Maulavibazar operated by Chevron Bangladesh produce 1500mmcfd of gas, which is 56 percent of the country’s total gas output.

State Minister for power and Energy Nasrul Hamid said Chevron Bangladesh Ltd is yet to inform the government about its ongoing negotiations with potential buyers.

The state-owned Petrobangla has already shown interest to acquire the Chevron’s gas fields in Bangladesh.