Khulna Correspondent :
Khulna Jute Mill workers brought out a procession to press home their 11-point demands including arrear salary on Wednesday on Khulna-Jessore Highway.
It is mentionable in this connection that for realization of 11-point demands, workers of Nine State-run Jute Mills of Khulna-Jessore region observed 24-hour strike from Tuesday dawn to Wednesday dawn.
Among the Nine State-owned Jute Mills, seven are in Khulna and the rest two are in Jessore area. The seven Khulna regional Jute Mills are Daulatpur Jute Mills, Khalishpur Jute Mills, Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills, The Crescent Jute Mills, Star Jute Mills, Alim Jute Mills, Eastern Jute Mills and in Jessore area’s two Jute Mills are-Carpeting Jute Mills, Jessore Jute Industries (JJI) Mills.
The eleven-point demands of the workers are announcement of Pay Commission for workers, payment of 20 percent of Dearness Allowance, arrear wages, giving wages to the production-rate workers, making permanent workers according to the set-up, payment of allowances and wages to retired workers, payment of Insurance allowance to workers who died in the meantime, remove dissimilarity of wages, implementation of PRL & Grant facilities, renovation of old machines and depositing money taking from Provident Fund (PF).
Sources said, around 21,474 Metric Tonnes Jute-goods worth about Taka more than 200 crore have been lying unsold. Besides, the Jute Mills are not getting money even after selling Jute made products on credit. Production in the jute Mills has been remaining closed since last Thursday.
Workers are not getting their wages for weeks after weeks. Workers of the nine state-run Jute Mills observed 24-hour strike. The State-run Jute mills CBA-Non CBA Parishad will declare the next program after meeting at Dhaka.
On the other hand, Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) authorities have been directing the local authorities of the Jute Mills of Khulna-Jessore region to settle the issue. Local authorities are also requesting the workers to continue their duties but CBA leaders said that they are helpless in this regard.
The regional authorities of BJMC said, Around 21,474 Metric tonnes of jute made products are lying unsold at nine Jute mills in Khulna-Jessore region. BJMC authorities declined to comment anything regarding the workers unrest in Khulna-Jessore region.
Since last Thursday, workers have been observing their agitation programs after shutting down production. Workers unrest are increasing gradually. Meanwhile, agitated workers observed their agitation program by burning tyres on Khulna-Jessore Highway.
Khalilur Rahman, former General Secretary of Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills said, The workers unrest might be reduced if the irregularities of the authorities of the Jute Mills of Khulna-Jessore region are removed.
Sources of BJMC head office at Dhaka said, due to selling Jute products on credit, Jute Mills are incurring losses, according to the rules of BJMC, Jute products have to sell after taking money in advance, but violating this rule, most of the Jute Mills are selling Jute goods on credit and as such the losses and workers unrest are prevailing in the area, sources added.
Md. Sohrab Hossain, former general secretary of the Crescent Jute Mills said, the agitation programs are not now in the hands of the CBA leaders, it has gone to the common workers.
In presence of law enforcing agency particularly policemen, agitated workers vandalized some 6 motorbikes and private cars and even they vandalized some shops of Khalishpur and Daulatpur areas before the members of police of Khalishpur police station, Daulatpur police station and policemen of Khulna police Line.
It is mentionable in this connection that without getting arrear wages and proper treatment, Abul Khayer, a retired worker of the spinning department of Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills Ltd. fell in the lap of the cruel death at his residence.
Anisur Rahman, a worker of a Jute Mill at Khalishpur area said, We sought for immediate solution of our problems, we want our arrear wages and other benefits, because we are leading starving living as we have not yet got wages since the last 8 weeks or 9 weeks.
Abul Kalam Hazari, project head of the Crescent Jute Mills Company Limited said, We are talking to the CBA leaders with a view to reduce the workers unrest, but the leaders said to me that the agitation programs are not now under their control.
It is mentionable that traders of Khulna also participated in the agitation program of Jute Mills workers.
However, workers’ agitation program in nine State-run Jute Mills were going on unabated till filing this report on Wednesday (January 03,2018) evening at around 6.45 pm.
Khulna Jute Mill workers brought out a procession to press home their 11-point demands including arrear salary on Wednesday on Khulna-Jessore Highway.
It is mentionable in this connection that for realization of 11-point demands, workers of Nine State-run Jute Mills of Khulna-Jessore region observed 24-hour strike from Tuesday dawn to Wednesday dawn.
Among the Nine State-owned Jute Mills, seven are in Khulna and the rest two are in Jessore area. The seven Khulna regional Jute Mills are Daulatpur Jute Mills, Khalishpur Jute Mills, Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills, The Crescent Jute Mills, Star Jute Mills, Alim Jute Mills, Eastern Jute Mills and in Jessore area’s two Jute Mills are-Carpeting Jute Mills, Jessore Jute Industries (JJI) Mills.
The eleven-point demands of the workers are announcement of Pay Commission for workers, payment of 20 percent of Dearness Allowance, arrear wages, giving wages to the production-rate workers, making permanent workers according to the set-up, payment of allowances and wages to retired workers, payment of Insurance allowance to workers who died in the meantime, remove dissimilarity of wages, implementation of PRL & Grant facilities, renovation of old machines and depositing money taking from Provident Fund (PF).
Sources said, around 21,474 Metric Tonnes Jute-goods worth about Taka more than 200 crore have been lying unsold. Besides, the Jute Mills are not getting money even after selling Jute made products on credit. Production in the jute Mills has been remaining closed since last Thursday.
Workers are not getting their wages for weeks after weeks. Workers of the nine state-run Jute Mills observed 24-hour strike. The State-run Jute mills CBA-Non CBA Parishad will declare the next program after meeting at Dhaka.
On the other hand, Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) authorities have been directing the local authorities of the Jute Mills of Khulna-Jessore region to settle the issue. Local authorities are also requesting the workers to continue their duties but CBA leaders said that they are helpless in this regard.
The regional authorities of BJMC said, Around 21,474 Metric tonnes of jute made products are lying unsold at nine Jute mills in Khulna-Jessore region. BJMC authorities declined to comment anything regarding the workers unrest in Khulna-Jessore region.
Since last Thursday, workers have been observing their agitation programs after shutting down production. Workers unrest are increasing gradually. Meanwhile, agitated workers observed their agitation program by burning tyres on Khulna-Jessore Highway.
Khalilur Rahman, former General Secretary of Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills said, The workers unrest might be reduced if the irregularities of the authorities of the Jute Mills of Khulna-Jessore region are removed.
Sources of BJMC head office at Dhaka said, due to selling Jute products on credit, Jute Mills are incurring losses, according to the rules of BJMC, Jute products have to sell after taking money in advance, but violating this rule, most of the Jute Mills are selling Jute goods on credit and as such the losses and workers unrest are prevailing in the area, sources added.
Md. Sohrab Hossain, former general secretary of the Crescent Jute Mills said, the agitation programs are not now in the hands of the CBA leaders, it has gone to the common workers.
In presence of law enforcing agency particularly policemen, agitated workers vandalized some 6 motorbikes and private cars and even they vandalized some shops of Khalishpur and Daulatpur areas before the members of police of Khalishpur police station, Daulatpur police station and policemen of Khulna police Line.
It is mentionable in this connection that without getting arrear wages and proper treatment, Abul Khayer, a retired worker of the spinning department of Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills Ltd. fell in the lap of the cruel death at his residence.
Anisur Rahman, a worker of a Jute Mill at Khalishpur area said, We sought for immediate solution of our problems, we want our arrear wages and other benefits, because we are leading starving living as we have not yet got wages since the last 8 weeks or 9 weeks.
Abul Kalam Hazari, project head of the Crescent Jute Mills Company Limited said, We are talking to the CBA leaders with a view to reduce the workers unrest, but the leaders said to me that the agitation programs are not now under their control.
It is mentionable that traders of Khulna also participated in the agitation program of Jute Mills workers.
However, workers’ agitation program in nine State-run Jute Mills were going on unabated till filing this report on Wednesday (January 03,2018) evening at around 6.45 pm.
