Demand for reopening jute mills rings louder

Civil society members, workers and left-leaning party leaders took to the streets in Khulna city yesterday, demanding immediate reopening of jute mills under government arrangement.

Under the banner of "Patkal Rokkhay Sommilita Nagorik Parishad" (Citizens' combined platform for prot, they brought out a procession in Khalishpur area. Later, they staged a rally where they criticised "government conspiracy" to close down the state-run jute mills. The participants called upon all to join the movement.

The procession started from Daulatpur Jute Mill Gate in Khalishpur at 10am. Then it marched along BIDC Road passing through Platinum Jute Mill, Crescent Jute Mill, Khalishpur Jute Mill and BL College Gate. It reached People's intersection at noon.

Hundreds of workers and civil society members participated in the meeting.

Md Kudrat-e-Khuda, convener of the Parishad, said when the demand for jute and jute products are high in world market, the government decision to shut down jute mills and handed those over to public-private partnership is really regrettable.

Talking about corruption in jute sector, he said reasons behind loss in jute mills have to be identified.

A total of country's 56 projects in different sectors are being run under PPP but none of those are in good condition, he claimed.

He further said according to mill assessment committee, only Tk 1,200 crore is needed to modernise all jute mills where the government allocated Tk 5,000 crore for workers' arrears and other benefits during the closure.

Zonayed Saki, chief coordinator of Gonosamhati Andolon, said the jute mills were shut down during the coronavirus pandemic so that no protests could be staged.

He said no benefit was given to around 55,000 temporary workers during the closure.

He further said the state-owned jute mills incurred a loss of Tk 10,000 crore in 40 years while a huge amount of money is being embezzled in various sectors.

The participants in the meeting announced that a two-hour sit-in will be held at the city's Notunrasta intersection on August 24 and a convention will be held in Dhaka on August 29 to press their demands.

Abdullah Kafi Ratan, member of Communist Party of Bangladesh (central committee), Workers Party leader Iqbal Kabir Zahid and CPB leader Mosharraf Hossain, among others, spoke at the meeting.

On Sunday, the Parishad brought out a procession from Carpeting Jute Mill gate of Jessore to Eastern Jute Mill Gate in Khulna.