Dhaka: Trade union leaders of Power Development Board (PDB) on Tuesday announced a 10-day fresh programme to press home their demand for cancelling the government's decision to split the state-owned entity’s distribution segment into three area-wise organisations.

President of the collective bargaining agent (CBA) of the PDB employees and Jatiya Sramik League leader Zahirul Islam Chowdhury announced the programmes after a meeting of the Employees-Officers Unity Council (EOUC), reports UNB.

The programmes include holding mass campaign across the country on August 17, mass demonstrations on August 18, rallies at office gates on August 20, a discussion meeting on August 21 commemorating the grenade attack on an Awami League rally, staging a one-hour sit-in on August 22, a two-hour one on August 23, a three-hour sit-in on August 24 and a four-hour sit-in on August 24.

It will announce its next course of action on August 27 if its demand is not met by then.

Zahir said employees and officers will go on a tougher movement after August 27 if the government fails to give in to their demand by the deadline. ‘We’re not announcing any tough programme this time so that the government can resolve the problem within the next 10 days. We hope it would take measures to address the issue and break the ongoing stalemate in the PDB. We belong to Awami League's worker front as well,’ he said.

The trade union of the PDB has been in a movement against the government’s decision to create three new companies. Of them, North-West Zone Power Distribution Company has already been formed and it is now waiting for operation while the process to form two other companies is underway.

State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid sat with the leaders of trade union and officers’ association on Sunday to settle the matter. But the meeting ended inconclusive.