Agartala, Dec 15 (IANS) Telecommunication services were affected Thursday in the northeastern region as over 2,200 engineers and employees of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) observed a strike protesting proposed voluntary retirement and withdrawal of various benefits.

"The 12-hour shut down since 6 a.m. Thursday has got a tremendous response from across the northeastern region," said convener of the Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations Tirthankar Chowdhury.

"The BSNL management has taken plans to retrench about 100,000 workers (one third of the existing 300,000 workers) in the name of voluntary retirement scheme, denying bonus, medical allowances and withdrawing existing benefits for workers," he alleged.

He further alleged that the BSNL had posted a profit of Rs.6,000 to Rs.10,000 crores till 2008-09, but during last year, the state-owned company registered a loss of Rs.6,000 crore due to poor management and erroneous decisions.

Another JAC leader Swapan Chakraborty said: "The government has been trying to close the BSNL to help private operators to make profit. If the BSNL is shut down, people in semi-urban and rural areas would be deprived in getting telecom services at affordable prices as the private parties would increase the tariff."