Plight of workers
Zabed Wali, Pahartali, Chittagong
Jute , once known as the golden-fibre of Bangladesh, had and still has, many uses. This natural fibre is manufactured into different products --gunny-bags, thread, rope and so on. Once jute--either as raw material or as a finished commodity--contributed significantly to the economy of the country, In fact it was the most important cash crop in this part of the world. Hence the jute mills and the workers were regarded as an invaluable resource of the land.In the post-71 period, the situation changed drastically and the jute sector saw a gradual decline. Unfortunately, this downward trend is still there as we watch, much to our dismay, one jute mill after another closing their activities. No more do the workers hear the din of the machines; the sound of the spindles; the shrill cry of the sirens that beckoned them to their daily work. It is the silence of a graveyard that prevails in those abandoned mills. What is more shocking is that these workers are being compelled to join the ranks of the unemployed masses. In other words they are metamorphosed from self-reliant persons into paupers --within the span of a short time. The point that we want to highlight is that the authorities should consider the human factor before taking any drastic decision to close down another jute mill. Finally, we think that as an environment-friendly material jute still has immense potential.
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