The agitated workers said the work stoppage would continue until the matter is settled.

Meanwhile, two more officials yesterday joined the high-level BJMC team that reached Khulna from Dhaka on Saturday to solve the problems in running the jute mills and discuss the payment of dues of the retrenched workers and employees of the closed People's Jute Mills.

The BJMC team includes General Manager (Admin) Md Abu Saeed, General Manager (Finance) Mohammod Ali Chowdhury, managers Nurul Islam and Nizamuddin.

The team members started calculating the dues of the People's Jute Mills workers.

The dues of the workers would be paid through their savings accounts, said a BJMC source.

The BJMC team was expected to leave Khulna on Sunday night with a final list of payment to be made to workers and employees of People's Jute Mills by August 30.

Meanwhile, Shamsul Haque, General Manager (Marketing) of BJMC head office, left Khulna on Saturday. The officials of the local office were to make a final list of seven state-owned jute mills workers and employees who would go on voluntary retirement under the golden handshake programme.

The final list would be submitted to BJMC head office by Wednesday, said Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills (PJJM) Manager Md Shajahan.