Hundreds of workers in Bangladesh’s rape response services, including One Stop Crisis Centres (OCCs) and DNA laboratories, have gone unpaid since January due to a shift to outsourced recruitment. The change, part of the government’s new procurement policy, has left 373 employees in financial distress, triggering temporary work stoppages. These workers provide essential medical, legal, and psychosocial support to survivors of rape and gender-based violence. The outsourcing plan, which affects 547 out of 555 personnel, has raised concerns about privacy, confidentiality, and the loss of specialised expertise. Despite pleas to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the Finance Division has refused to reallocate funds to pay existing staff, citing budgetary constraints. Project director Iftekhar Hossain stated that the previous project no longer exists, and the new one has no obligation to pay current employees. However, a letter signed by Hossain acknowledges that existing staff continue to work under special arrangements. The situation has left workers like a divisional OCC cleaner struggling to support their families, while survivors remain dependent on these services.