Eminent citizens protest closure of state-owned jute mills

A total of 159 eminent citizens demanded on Tuesday that the decision to close all the mills under the state-owned Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) be immediately reversed in the face of unremitting losses.

They stated their position in a joint press statement released under the banner ‘Sarbajankatha‘ on Tuesday.

The statement urged the government to accept their four-point demands including the immediate reopening of the 25 jute mills.

The arrears owed to many workers should be paid and proper measures must be taken to save the workers from coronavirus transmission risks, they said.

They recommended wiping out corruption from the Jute industry and improving the management system, and modernization of mills to cut losses by raising the production capacity gradually.

As always, we have witnessed shutting down of the jute mills as a solution to the sector’s problems, instead of action to spot corruption committed by the public servants and government officials for example in the purchase of raw jute, the statement alleged.

They demanded disclosure of corruptions and proper legal action against the people who were responsible over the matter.

Earlier on Sunday, Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi said 25 mills under the state-owned BJMC will be shuttered in the face of staggering losses. All workers will be released with ‘golden handshakes’. 

He said around Tk 5,000 crore will be set aside to clear all arrears of 8,954 workers who retired since 2014, as well as the overtime dues, provident funds, and gratuities to those who will be released under the golden handshake, numbering 24,886.

(Source: UNB)