Staff Reporter :
Workers of nine state-run jute mills in Khulna industrial belt have postponed their hunger strike for three days upon assurance of fulfilling their demands.
The workers postponed their programme after a meeting with State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Munnujan Sufian on Friday.
In the meeting, Jute Mills Collective Bargaining Association (CBA) and Non-CBA leaders agreed to postpone their hunger strike marking in honour of Martyred Intellectuals Day (December 14) and Victory Day (December 16).
“The strike was postponed at 1:15am for three days,” said Shahana Parvin, CBA President of Platinum Jute Mills.
Soon after the strike was called off, the production in eight state-owned jute mills resumed at 10am while at
Crescent Jute Mills in Khulna around 2:30pm.
Humayun Kabir, General Secretary of CBA of Platinum Jute Mills, said that Munnujan urged them to call the strike off on Friday night at a meeting at Khulna Divisional Labour Office and assured them of placing their 11-point demand at a meeting scheduled to be held on December 15 in Dhaka, Humayun added.
On Thursday, Abdur Sattar, 55, a worker of Platinum Jute Mills, fell sick at one stage of hunger strike and died at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH).
Besides, more than 200 sick workers were taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital.
Production at nine state-owned jute mills remained suspended since December 10 when the workers were on strike.
An estimated 50,000 workers of Star, Platinum, Crescent, Alim, Eastern, Daulatpur and Khalishpur Jute Mills in Khulna and JJI and Carpeting Jute Mills in Jashore joined the protest.
They tried to force the government to accept their 11-point demand that included implementation of the wage commission, payment of regular wages, cancellation of public-private ownership of mills and allotting necessary fund for jute sector.
The workers said they were not paid their wage regularly and were forced to come out to take the streets demanding improvement in the situation.
