Reopening Of Jute Mills: Cops foil workers’ procession, detain 3

Police foiled a coffin procession, organised by workers demanding reopening of closed state-run jute mills, in Khulna city's Khalishpur area yesterday.

The law enforcers stopped the programme before it started by detaining three of the main organisers -- Ruhul Amin, Sujoy Shuvo and Atif Anik -- in front of Crescent Jute Mill, said the workers.

Of them, Ruhul Amin is coordinator of Jute Mill Protection Workers-Farmers-Students-Janata Oikya Parishad, Atif Anik central president of Biplobi Chhatra Jubo Andolan and Sujoy Biswas, convener of Socialist Student Front (Marxist) of Barisal University.

They were involving workers at Crescent Jute Mill to bring out a coffin procession.

Confirming the detention, police said they did not have permission from Khulna Metropolitan Police to hold the event.

The procession -- organised by Jute Mill Protection Workers-Farmers-Students-Janata Oikya Parishad -- was supposed to be brought out at 4pm yesterday.

Visiting the area around 4pm, a large number of police personnel were seen in Khalishpur industrial area. Police closed the entrance to BIDC Road in Notunrasta area after 12:30pm. Industrial police were deployed at each mill gate.

Niaz Murshid, an activist of the movement, told The Daily Star that a workers' rally was held on October 2 in Crescent Jute Mill area. Yesterday's coffin procession was announced from that rally. On October 3, a letter was given to the KMP headquarters seeking permission for the procession.

Mollah Jahangir Hossain, deputy commissioner of KMP, said none was allowed to hold the procession.

The activist said they attempted to did so as police did not prohibit as well.