Khulna jute mill workers postpone hunger strike for 3 days

Workers of nine state-run jute mills in Khulna industrial belt have postponed their indefinite hunger strike for three days following a meeting with State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Munnujan Sufian last night.

In the meeting, Jute Mill Collective Bargaining Association (CBA) and Non-CBA leaders agreed to postponed their hunger strike to mark the Martyred Intellectuals Day (December 14) and Victory Day (December 16).

Around 1:15am today, the workers, who started the hunger strike on December 10 to press home their 11-point demand, formally postponed their strike till Monday (December 16), reports our Khulna correspondent.

In the meeting, State Minister Munnujan Sufian told the workers that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very cordial about the jute mills and its workers and assured that the government will implement national wage commission.

The state minister said she will personally discuss the matter with the prime minister.

An inter-ministerial meeting will be held at textile and jute ministry around 11:00am tomorrow to discuss implementation of the commission while the government will hold another meeting with the workers’ leaders at Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC) around 3:00pm on the same day.

The workers said they will resume the hunger strike after three days to press home their demands.

At least one jute mill worker, who was on hunger strike, died and around 200 other workers were admitted to different hospitals and clinics in Khulna yesterday.

Their 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.