Khulna-Jashore Industrial Belt: Jute mill workers call hunger strike again after talks fall apart
Workers of eight state-owned jute mills in Khulna and Jashore industrial belt will go on an indefinite hunger strike again from this afternoon.
The decision was taken on Thursday, after a third meeting in Dhaka -- held between jute mill workers and leaders, and authorities from the Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC) and the Textiles and Jute Ministry -- failed to reach an understanding, said sources.
Earlier on December 10, the jute mill workers started a hunger strike to press home their 11-point demand, including implementation of national wage commission. One worker died and over two hundred fell sick during the hunger strike, which was suspended on December 13, after a meeting with State Minister for Labour and Employment Monnujan Sufian.
Following this, two meetings were held in Dhaka on December 15 -- one at the jute ministry and another at the BJMC office, in presence of all parties.
“Workers agreed to suspend the hunger strike till December 17. Later, the date was extended to December 22. But after the third meeting -- held between jute mill workers and leaders, and authorities from the Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation and the textiles and jute ministry -- failed to reach an understanding, we made the decision,” said Murad Hossain, former president of Crescent Jute Mill and joint convener of CBA and Non-CBA Sangram Parishad.
“State minister Monnujan Sufian asked for another month to fulfil our demands, but we do not want to give more time,” said Murad Hossain.
Meanwhile, workers of eight state-owned jute mills in Khulna-Jashore industrial belt organised rallies yesterday at their respective mill gates.
Several thousand workers of Daulatpur, Khalishpur, Crescent, Platinum and Star jute mills gathered in front of their mill gates around 10am and took part in the demonstrations. Workers of Alim and Eastern jute mills also gathered in Atra industrial area of the city.
In Jashore, workers of Jashore Jute Industry (JJI) yesterday also announced to go on a hunger strike in Rajghat area from today, from a demonstration in front of their mill gate.
The workers’ demands include cancellation of public-private ownership, payment of provident fund gratuity for retired workers, regularising weekly wages and implementation of the wage commission, and payment of outstanding bills. They also demanded that the government buy jute products for other sectors.
Sahana Sarmin, president of CBA (Collective Bargaining Agent) of Platinum Jute Mill, told The Daily Star, “The hunger strike is part of our demonstrations, and we will continue to protest until the wage commission is implemented.”
Md Boniz Uddin Miah, liaison officer of BJMC Khulna zone, said, “Our high authorities arranged three meetings with CBA and Non-CBA leaders, but could not reach an understanding.”
“If they begin a hunger strike, there is nothing we can do,” he told this newspaper yesterday.
Around six weeks’ wages of workers at Crescent, Platinum and Star jute mills, five weeks’ of Khalishpur mill workers and four weeks’ of Daulatpur mill are due, said workers.
The other mill workers are also not being paid regularly, and their salaries of at least five to weeks are due.
The government announced a wage board for jute workers in June 2015, but it is yet to be implemented.
Over 31,000 workers have been working at nine state-owned jute mills in Khulna-Jashore industrial belt.
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