Muhith for shutting down BJMC

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) should be shut down and a jute cell should be opened in the ministry instead.

“Initially we gave the BJMC several thousand crore taka. Then every year they have been given Tk 400 crore to Tk 500 crore. Even then their unsatisfied hunger for money (remains). This is the problem,” he said.

Muhith was responding to journalists' a queries at his secretariat office on unveiling a publication of the Ministry's Officers and Employees Welfare Association titled “Proyash”.

A new market for jute has been created and the jute sector has to be revived, he said, adding, “But the process of the revision does not seem good to me.”

In the new system there is no need for the BJMC to exist as jute mills will have to operate under public-private partnership initiatives, he said.

“The BJMC should be abolished…I have told them (the jute ministry) even officially. But they do not oblige. They have fallen into the trap of BJMC and the corporation continues to exist,” said Muhith.

Journalists sought comment on State Minister for Jute Mirza Azam's criticism of him on Monday. Azam said the jute sector was not developing for Muhith's negative attitude.

“This is his personal opinion. I will not comment on this,” said Muhith.