Jute Mill Workers’ Hunger Strike: One dies in Khulna, 130 fall sick on day 3

A jute mill worker died and more than 130 fell sick in Khulna and Rajshahi yesterday, the third consecutive day jute mill workers’ hunger strike unto death, to press home their 11-point demand including implementation of national wage commission.

The deceased is Abdur Sattar (48), a worker of spinning section of Platinum Jute Mills in Khulna.

He was participating in the movement at Khalishpur area.

Around noon, he suddenly fell sick due to starvation and dehydration. He was admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital where he died around 5pm, said Sahana Sarmin, president of the mill’s workers union.

Talking to The Daily Star, she expressed fears of more deaths if the programme continues.

Workers of state-owned jute mills went on hunger strike at their respective mills premises since Tuesday in Khulna, Jashore, Rajshahi and Chattogram.

The demands include -- payment of regular wages, cancellation of public-private ownership, necessary fund for jute sector, insurance for families of deceased workers, provident fund and gratuity facility for retired workers and regularisation of temporary workers.

In Khulna and Jashore, at least 100 jute mill workers fell sick from starvation and dehydration as thousands of workers and their families from nine state-owned jute mills in Khulna–Jashore industrial belt continued the strike.

They were admitted to different hospitals, while many unwell workers were given saline intravenously, said Khalilur Rahman, joint secretary of Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA) and Non-CBA.

“We bought 225 saline packs for unwell workers on Wednesday afternoon. But the stock has been exhausted and we’ll have to buy more,” said Bellal Mollick, president of Star Jute Mill Employees Union.

“I have been working for 20 years. But my wage is only Tk 1,600 per week. My husband, who died 40 years ago, was also a jute worker. I cannot run my family with such low wage. We demand a wage increase,” said Satara Begum (65), a worker of Platinum Jute Mill.

Around 31,000 workers and their family members have taken position in front of the main gates of their respective mills -- Star, Platinum, Alim, Eastern, Daulatpur, and Khalishpur in Khulna, and JJI and Carpeting in Jashore district since Tuesday.

Our Khulna correspondent found big tents erected near Crescent, Platinum, Khalishpur, and Daulatpur mill gates on BIDC road in Khalishpur, where hundreds of workers took shelter with pillows and blankets to protect themselves from the cold.

A big tent was also seen in front of Crescent Jute Mill, the biggest jute mill in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, at least eight workers of Rajshahi Jute Mills Limited were hospitalised yesterday.

They were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Another 25 workers were given first aid at the medical centre of the jute mill, said workers and mill officials.

Zillur Rahman, president of Jute Mills Workers’ Movement Council, said they began the movement in November and held different programmes like rallies, processions and token strikes.

But the authorities concerned did not pay heed, so they were compelled to enforce a tougher movement with the hunger strike, he said.

“We will not stop the movement until our demands are realised,” Zillur Rahman added.

Local leaders of Workers Party of Bangladesh in Rajshahi expressed their solidarity with the labourers yesterday afternoon.

Elsewhere, in Chattogram, workers of Amin Jute Mill continued the hunger strike as well.

Addressing a demonstration at the mill gate, the agitating workers said that unpaid wages has led them to destitution, so they have no option but to continue the movement.

(Our Khulna, Rajshahi and Chattogram correspondents contributed to the report.)