Workers of 7 jute mills on strike in Khulna

Workers of seven state-owned jute mills in Khulna went on an indefinite strike yesterday to press home their five-point demand.

CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) and non-CBA Oikya Parishad of the seven jute mills -- Crescent Jute Mills, Platinum Jute Mills, Khalispur Jute Mills, Star Jute Mills, Eastern Jute Mills, Jessore Jute Mills and Carpeting Jute Mills -- enforced the strike from the morning.

The workers' demands include adequate allocation to the jute industry, payment of arrears, formation of a wage board and stopping the move to privatise the state-owned jute mills.

Mohammad Sohrab Hossain, convener of the Oikya Parishad, said they would go for a road blockade programme today if the government failed to meet their demands.

They had given an ultimatum to the government on March 16 to meet their demands by April 3.