Citing budget deficits, the MTA of New York is laying off 262 subway agents, of whom 35 are Bangladeshis. An additional 212 subway agents, including 28 Bangladeshis, may also lose their jobs. The layoffs are temporarily deferred due to a Court order that states that no subway booth can be closed without holding a public hearing.

Interviews with the now unemployed agents revealed the many problems they face. Some are looking at personal economic crisis, suffer from mental stress, and live each day anticipating disaster.

Talking to Bangla Patrika, subway agents say they never imagined that jobs they considered safe and permanent would disappear overnight. Most of them are in their fifties and find it impossible to get a new job. Many of them are now dependent on loans. Some are thinking of returning to Bangladesh if they can't make a living here, while others hold on to the hope that their jobs will be reinstated as their unions appeal to the Court. Their comments reveal their hopelessness and uncertainty.

Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman, who took the Civil Service Examination to qualify for a subway agent position, lost his job after working two-and-a-half years for the MTA. "Many subway agents, who considered this to be secure employment, left good jobs at different organizations, including hospitals," he said. "Historically, there has been no record of layoffs at the MTA, but we became the victims of an inhumane layoff," he told Bangla Patrika.

Rahman said the agents now face "grave mental and economic disarray. Rent for a two-bedroom house is $ 1,500, but unemployment compensation is only $1,600 per month. The extent of the crisis is easily comprehensible. I am scared to think what situation our families will find themselves in once our unemployment benefits end in six months."

Referring to the process of termination from his job as "illegal," Rahman said their trade union, Transportation Worker's Union Local 100, has filed a suit against the MTA. "The Court has already served the MTA with a 'show cause notice' to explain why the laying off of the subway agents without a public hearing is not illegal."

Rokshana Begum, who worked a subway booth for three years, alleges that she was let go in violation of the Court order. She says the psychological stress with her economic downturn is intense and is worried about the future. Her husband lives in Bangladesh and her salary was the only source they had to maintain family expenses, educational expenditures of her two sons who are in college, and repayment of the mortgage. Now, after losing her job, she sees "a bleak future." Rokshana said, "I am terrified thinking the tempest through which my family will have to go through after the expiration of the unemployment compensation."

A subway agent, who preferred to remain anonymous, lost his job after working for two years and 11 months. Before joining the MTA he was a traffic agent in the NY Police Department. He was supposed to be promoted to traffic instructor; however, he got another job at the Bridge & Tunnel Department of MTA. Considering the "job as more secure and a brighter one," he decided to join as a subway agent.

After losing his MTA job, the disappointed subway agent who must provide for a six-member family has sunk into "total disarray." Out of his unemployment benefits, $1,200 is spent on rent. He supports his family "taking loans from relatives."

"I don't have a solution as to how I will maintain my family after the expiration of the unemployment benefits," lamented the 39-year-old subway agent is uncertain about whether he will get a good job. He said his father puts pressure on him to go back to Bangladesh.

Ajoy Sarkar came to America 10 years ago. He was also a victim of layoffs after working for three years as a subway agent. He had been leading a happy life in a rented house for $1,200 along with his wife and two kids. After he was removed from his job, his health insurance was also cancelled. "Now it is impossible to bear the expenses of my family's treatment," he informed.

After losing his job, he suffers from psychological tension. "Though I have a cab license, I don't feel comfortable earning my livelihood by driving a taxicab, as driving a taxi and a job in MTA can never be the same," he opined. "My mental stress has become a major problem." However, he is hopeful of getting his MTA job back.

Nepal Chandra Kundu came to America in 1996. Before joining the MTA as a subway agent four years ago, he was working as traffic agent. He is the lone income-generator for his four-member family. He lives in a house in the Bronx paying $1,000 in rent. He cannot sustain his family with the rest of the money that he gets from unemployment benefits. "So I have to spend the money that I saved earlier," he informed. "Despite intense efforts, I could not manage to get even an odd job. No one will offer me a job, as I am over fifty," he said. He added that "my wife cannot work as we have a little kid. I am sinking in despair."

Kundu alleged that although a provision exists stating that employees must be notified two months in advance of any layoffs, the provision was not followed in their case. "Our job was snatched away with a two-day notice," he said. "I did not even take a day of sick-leave during my four-year service in the MTA." When he was fired, he states, he did not receive compensation for his accumulated sick days.

Kazi Farid Ahmed, 28, studied here after coming to America in 2003. He got a job with the subway system in 2008. He lives with his mother and wife in a rented house costing $1,150 per month. He cannot support his family with unemployment benefits alone, so he borrows money from his friends and relatives.

"As I was in a good job, my mind does not allow me to do any odd job," Farid said. He stated that "as the Court has ordered the MTA not to close any booths without holding a public hearing, the MTA continues to operate the booths and pay huge amounts in overtime to the existing agents. But the subway agents who were let go are not rehired. We are being affected, but the MTA does not benefit with the layoffs," he commented.

Siddartha Chowdhury came to America 15 years ago and worked with MTA for three-and-a-half years. He lives in a house along with his parents and wife paying $1,300 for rent. After paying taxes, he gets $1,448 in unemployment benefits. "It is difficult to support the family, so I have to spend money from my savings," Siddartha said.

When asked what he would do when the unemployment benefits stop and the saved money is exhausted, he replied in a hopeful tone, "I am not mentally broken. Certain avenues will surely be opened. I have applied to several departments like the Court, hospitals, MTA, etc. I will surely get a job of my choice."

At the time he joined MTA, he was offered a job as a police officer, but he joined MTA because of its good salary. Though his "normal life is shattered," Siddartha's moral strength is "still alive."

Losing his MTA job after two-and-a-half years threw Mohammad A. Hosen into despair. Hosen arrived in America in 2000, and joined the MTA as a subway agent in 2007. He is now at a loss as to what to do. On May 31 his medical insurance was cancelled, causing him much additional hardship since his wife is ill. "My wife suffers from mental depression. She is under the treatment of the psychiatric department of Elmhurst Hospital. Although she is not mentally insane, she loses her memory if she fails to take some sort of expensive medicine," said Hosen. He now depends on loans from friends and well wishers. He has already borrowed $2,500.

Hosen says he has to count $1,200 for rent each month, as well as the expenses for his four-member family, including his children's education. "My situation will go from bad to worse after the expiration of the unemployment benefits. Those who gave me loans now press me to repay them. The scope of getting new loans is shrinking. All my hopes and dreams have been shattered due to this layoff. I never thought that I'd be facing such a situation. The dream that I had possessed to buy a home and car no longer exists in my mind. There is no money to buy medicine, not to speak of buying a car or a house," he lamented.

Hosen says that it is very difficult to get a new job. During the last three weeks he has taken two tests for City and State jobs. "I know nothing of whether or when I will get a job." 

The name of Rushdi Haque is included in the list of the 212 subway agents whose layoff hangs in the balance. Coming to America in 1996, he studied at Baruch College of New York. After acquiring a bachelor's degree, instead of joining the NYPD he joined the MTA as a subway agent, at his parents' suggestion. His layoff still remains unimplemented due to the Court Order. "I may be terminated at any time, and that tension follows me." He expressed his apprehension saying, "I am suffering from the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen to me."

Haque lives with his parents in a rented house for $1,250 a month. The largest dilemma he faces is regarding his new wife. "I was married in Bangladesh last February. All the processes for my wife's visa have been completed. She may get her visa anytime. I am empty-handed now, as I have spent a huge amount of money on my marriage."

Expressing his anxiety of being socially humiliated should he lose his job, Haque said, "I got married while giving my wife the impression that I was in a government job. Now what will my wife think if she finds me unemployed? I am mentally stressed, worried how her relatives as well as society will look at the situation."

Haque feels "mentally broken" and wonders if he will be able to adjust to "an odd job, after doing good service or whether he will be able to get a job at all" should he become unemployed.