Jute mill workers continue demo

Workers of state-owned jute mills are continuing their demonstration for the third day today on demands of wages and arrears.

This morning, demonstrations were reported from Dhaka’s Demra and Khulna.

In Dhaka, hundreds of workers of Latif Bawany Jute Mill and Karim Jute Mill took to the street around 6:00am with sticks. They barricaded Sultana Kamal Road.

Their demonstrations have already aggravated the traffic condition in the surrounding areas.

The workers are pressing for arrears of two months and a fresh wage board.

They also demand that the government procure raw jute directly instead of private channels, said Abdul Quddus, one of the workers, taking part in the agitation programme.

“We are not being paid for two months. How will we survive with our families?” he said. “I borrowed money from a friend to buy rice,” he added.

An armored vehicle is seen stationed where the jute mill workers are staging a demonstration on Sultana Kamal road in Dhaka's Demra area. Photo: Star/Prabir Das

Their agitation yesterday was violent as the workers engaged with police after reportedly vandalizing vehicles and halting traffic for six hours.

In Khulna, workers of nine jute mills in Khulna continued their strike demanding payment of their dues.

They took to the street in front of their respective mills in the morning, UNB reports.

They announced to observe road and rail blockade programme from 4:00pm to 7.00pm today, said Md Murad Hossain, convener of Jute Mill Workers League of Khulna-Jashore region.

The workers of Platinum Jute Mill stopped work around 6:00pm on Sunday and then workers of other mills in Khulna and Jashore suspended their production.

Workers' wages of 11 weeks and other employees' salary of four months are overdue.

Earlier, it was decided in a meeting with the Ministry of Jute and Textiles and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation that the outstanding wages will be paid within April 25.

Yesterday, the parliamentary committee on the parliamentary committee on labour and employment fixed May 18 to clear the wages and arrears pf the workers.

On April 2, workers of state-owned jute mills observed a 72-hour strike in Khulna region to press home their nine-point demand.