This is not considered a minority related incident but it is a matter of concern for all professionals working in Bangladesh and the government must take action to uphold the labor laws. --HRCBM
Dr. Sudhi Ranjan Dey DBA (Trinity), MBA (Trinity)
CEO & Managing Consultant - Think Global Consulting (India)
Advisor, Textiles Committee, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India
Senior Professor & HOD - Training & Placements, Sikkim Manipal University
Former Director - International School of Business & Media, India
GD - 136, Sector - III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata - 700 160, India,
Phone: (+ 91 ) 9830367491 - mobile, Fax: (+ 91 ) 3592 - 246353
E-mail: dr_sudhiranjandey@yahoo.co.in, sr_dey@yahoo.com, sudhidey1962@sify.com
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February 22, 2006
Begum Khaleda Zia
Honorable Prime Minister of
The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Prime Minister's Office
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Respected Madam,
This is to introduce myself as an internationally respected Academician and Academic administrator and to draw your kind attention towards my awful experience in Bangladesh as a fellow Bengali and a citizen of neighboring India with a hope receiving your kind attention and justice.
Since early - 2004, I was offered to take up a Professorship at American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB), a private university in Dhaka, Bangladesh which I finally accepted in May, 2005. As per the understanding, American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB) was suppose to pay me a monthly salary that is equivalent to US$ 2,000.00 plus a fully furnished independent apartment, car and two (2) return air tickets to Kolkata/ year. However, I was asked to sign two (2) different employment contracts one stating a monthly salary of Bangladeshi Taka 80,000 and another 118,000. The first contract was submitted at the Deputy High Commission for the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Calcutta in June, 2004 with my visa application and the other was submitted to the Board of Investment, Dhaka in July, 2005 with my work permit application.
During my tenure at American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB), Dhaka, Bangladesh from 25th May, 2005 to 29th December, 2005, I was neither paid a monthly salary of US$ 2,000 nor I was offered with a fully furnished independent apartment, car and two (2) return air tickets, as promised. Furthermore, every month, I was paid different amounts between Bangladeshi Taka 72,000 and 118,000 with strange and unknown deductions towards leave, income tax, etc. The academic and administrative job responsibilities that were stated in the contract were never given to me while I was highly frustrated to see less educated, inexperienced and incompetent foreign nationals from academically and intellectually inferior countries were spoiling the standards of education which is already far below the Indian or global standards.
Since I was teaching a large number of senior MBA students at American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB), was popular as the best Professor among them and they were extremely dependent on my teaching for their final grades, I could not leave them and the university earlier and got exploited for over 7 months just for the sake of the Bangladeshi students.
I left the Directorship of one of the India’s leading B-schools to join American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB) for being a Bengali and to contribute towards the benefits of Bangladeshi students. I was neither given the due professional respect at AIUB nor the financial commitments were kept by them !
I was handed over with my final settlements on 29th December, 2005 less than two (2) hours before my return flight to India and I discovered that nearly Bangladeshi Taka 83,000 less were paid to me. This amount is consisting of the earlier leave salary deductions and cost of return air tickets which is still unpaid.
It is surprising to note that organizations like American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB) and its management are enjoying the status of “respected people” among the Bangladeshi society while they mislead and cheat foreign Academicians like me and the Bangladeshi labor law does not have a provision to protect a large number of foreign professionals !
In past 25 years, I have lived and worked in 16 countries across 3 continents but my experience of Bangladeshi education & teaching standards, governance of an academic institution and finally the exploitation of highly educated and accomplished foreign nationals like me was a real eye opener.
Although I am Indian by birth but being a Bengali always felt proud of the name “Bangladesh” but today after my awful experience in Bangladesh and its one of the best known private university “American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB) “, I will certainly carry a very unpleasant memory and poor image of the nation like people from rest of the world.
After following up my unpaid dues at AIUB, Dhaka, yesterday (21.02.2006), I have received a legal notice from their legal consultant with false and baseless allegations in which they also tried to point finger at my family life and personal character !
Last night, I have received a "life threat" call on my cell no from an unknown person threatening me to forget about my dues at AIUB, Dhaka and to keep quiet, otherwise, I will get killed ! This has already been reported to the Kolkata Police and an FIR has been lodged.
Being an academician, I will also talk about my terrible experience at American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB) in various academic meets and international conferences. Furthermore, I will be writing to a large number of respectable personalities, ministries and media in Bangladesh, India and to various American and western universities, UNESCO and other international development bodies from other nations which will surely not add to Bangladesh's image !
If educated and well accomplished academicians like me can get exploited in Bangladesh and can be the victim of framed charges to escape from making payments for unpaid dues of foreign nationals then the all human rights bodies can well imagine the situation of the local uneducated and poor class. It’s the time for all who are concerned about the exploitations in 3rd world countries to come forward to support my efforts to fight against the exploitation and injustice.
Madam, if you are really concerned about the image of your own nation and truly looking ahead to a better Bangladesh, I hope you will take a strong action against the management of American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB) for their unethical, unprofessional and unfair actions. I also hope that you will instruct University Grants Commission of Bangladesh to take necessary actions. However, Bangladesh and its public administration system is being globally known for mammoth corruptions, I have my own doubts of any action.
Looking forward to a favorable response from you.
Kind regards,
Dr. Sudhi Ranjan Dey
Copy to :
Dr. Iajuddin Ahmad, H.E President of, The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Mr. M. Morshed Khan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Govt. of The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Mr. Hemayetuddin, Foreign Secretary, Govt. of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, Government of India, New Delhi
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi
The Minister of Education, Government of India, New Delhi
High Commissioner, High Commission of India, Dhaka
First Secretary, High Commission of India, Dhaka
High Commissioner for the People's Republic of Bangladesh, New Delhi
Deputy High Commission for the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Calcutta
The Minister of Education, Ministry of Education, Govt. of The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
The Minister of Establishment, Ministry of Establishment, Govt. of The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Senor Officials of Board of Investment, Govt. of The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Senor Officials, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh
Senior Officials, National Board of Revenue, Govt. of The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Vice Chancellors, All private Universities of Bangladesh
All member institutions, All India management Association
Vice Chancellors, All private Universities of SAARC and ASEAN region
The Head, Asia-Pacific Development Information Program, UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok
Senor Officials, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)
The Editors, All Print & Electronic media, Bangladesh & India, and other SAARC & ASEAN countries
CPD
Bangladesh Human Rights Network
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities
Human Rights Congress, USA
Human Rights Congress, UK
Human Rights Congress, Switzerland
Odhikar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
International Labour Organization