MT Desk: The death of an outsourced employee of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has brought renewed attention to the plight of hundreds of workers who say they have been living without salaries, job security and financial stability for nearly a year.

According to family members and fellow employees, Md. Majnur Rahman, an outsourced worker assigned to a Horticulture Centre under the DAE, had been struggling with prolonged job uncertainty, unpaid wages and growing debt. They claim that the continuous financial and psychological pressure severely affected his health. He later suffered a heart attack and died, leaving behind his wife and a seven-year-old child.

His death has become a symbol of the hardship faced by 281 outsourced workers employed at 76 Horticulture Centres across the country, many of whom say they have been enduring similar uncertainty.

The affected employees allege that Trust Security Services Limited was awarded the contract to provide outsourced manpower for the Horticulture Centres. According to the workers, the validity of the tender was only 15 days. They claim that many applicants were unaware of this limitation when they accepted the jobs and only later found themselves in an uncertain employment situation.

The workers further allege that they have remained without regular employment and have not received their salaries for an extended period, reportedly close to one year. They say repeated appeals to the authorities—including written applications, memoranda and peaceful demonstrations—have so far failed to produce a lasting solution.

Relatives of the deceased said Majnur Rahman had borrowed money from individuals and financial institutions to support his family after salaries stopped. As the unpaid wages continued, he was unable to repay those loans.

According to his family, the burden of debt, concerns over his child`s future, the daily struggle to meet household expenses and fears of losing his livelihood caused severe mental distress.

With his passing, the family has lost its only earning member and now faces an uncertain future.

The situation is not limited to a single household.

Workers say that all 281 outsourced employees attached to the DAE`s 76 Horticulture Centres are experiencing varying degrees of financial hardship. Many families are reportedly overwhelmed by debt, while others are struggling to pay for food, healthcare and their children`s education.

One employee said, "Despite serving the country`s agricultural sector, we are now without work, without salaries and without any certainty about our future. We only want the opportunity to work and support our families with dignity."

Representing the affected workers and their families, the employees have urged the government to take immediate action. Their demands include:
Immediate reinstatement of employment and assurance of job security.
Prompt payment of all outstanding salaries.
Adoption of a permanent and humane policy to prevent outsourced workers from facing similar uncertainty in the future.
Special financial assistance and rehabilitation support for the family of the late Md. Majnur Rahman.
"We Do Not Want Another Majnur Rahman"

Colleagues of the deceased expressed both grief and frustration over what they describe as a prolonged humanitarian crisis.

"We do not want to lose another colleague because of job insecurity, unpaid wages and unbearable mental pressure," one worker said. "If the government takes compassionate and timely action, 281 families may once again have hope for a secure future."

The death of Md. Majnur Rahman has also raised broader questions about the protection of outsourced workers employed in public sector institutions. Labour rights advocates have long argued that delays in wage payments, uncertain contracts and the absence of employment security can expose workers and their families to serious economic and psychological hardship.

Observers say that ensuring timely payment of wages, transparent contracting procedures and stronger employment safeguards could help reduce such risks in the future.

Attempts to obtain comments from the Department of Agricultural Extension, the contractor responsible for the outsourcing arrangement and other relevant government authorities were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

For now, the 281 affected families say their appeal is simple: restore their jobs, clear the outstanding wages and ensure that no other family has to endure the same uncertainty and loss.