Dhaka, Aug. 18 -- The newspaper has drawn a plan to sack about 35 employees, asking them to resign by Aug 19 or be terminated, three of the employees who are facing the axe told bdnews24.com on Monday. The employees will get eight months of basic salary as the exit package.

The employees declined to be named in this report citing the sensitivity of the issue as they fear reprisals from the top bosses of the newspaper.

"I was taken aback when I received a phone call around 1 pm from the HR Department. The HR guy said there were two options open -- resign or get terminated. I've served the company so well for so long. Now I have to go," one employee told bdnews24.com by phone.

The job-cut plan mainly targeted the newspaper's support and ...