Staff Reporter :
The authorities have approved a voluntary retirement scheme for 25,000 employees of loss-making state-owned jute mills in a bid to cut their staggering losses incurred over the years.
Sources said workers of the public jute mills will be given a ‘golden handshake’ and the decision has already got the approval from the government’s highest level.
“In a bold step, the government has decided to shut the operation of the ailing state-owned jute mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC). About 25,000 regular employees of state-owned jute mills will be made redundant under the golden handshake policy,” an official of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute told The New Nation wishing not to be named.
He said a notification will be issued soon after finalizing the issue of workers’ arrear payment. “The government will earmark necessary funds for the purpose,” he added.
The official also said that public jute mills would no longer be run under government management.
“These will be managed under private management as they have expertize in jute sector business,” he said.
Secretary for the Ministry of Textles and Jute Lokman Hossain Mia told The New Nation, “You will know everything after the 30th June. Right now I can say anything more about the issue.”
Besides, the line ministries and law-enforcement agencies sat a meeting on Thursday
to implement the government’s decision.
The Ministry of Textiles and Jute convened the meeting chaired by its Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and State Minister for Labour Monnujan Sufian were present as chief and special guests at the meeting.
Also present at the meeting were secretaries from three line ministries and high officials from law-enforcement agencies.
Currently, twenty-two jute mills and three non-jute mills are in operation under the BJMC..
These jute mills incurred about Tk 4000 crore losses in the last seven years (from 2011-18)
