When all 26 jute mills were closed indefinitely in 2020, BJMC sacked more than 70,000 workers overnight on the grounds of recurring financial losses. While the workers are leading miserable lives waiting for their dues, BJMC has retained all facilities for its officers and administrative staff.

Due to lack of maintenance, the once-vibrant mill compounds now appear to be haunted places with weeds and vines growing all over. Many workers are spending miserable lives in slums near the jute mills with the hope that someday they will get their jobs back.

Experts say the government can revive and modernise the sector by investing Tk 2,000 crore and earn millions in foreign revenue, as the demand for biodegradable fibre is on the rise in the international market. The photos were taken from jute mills around the Khulna region.