Highway barricaded protesting privatisation

Aleem Jute Mills

Workers of the state-owned Aleem Jute Mills Limited yesterday barricaded the Khulna-Jessore highway and railway in front of the mill gate at Atra industrial area in the city for six hours from 9am to 3pm protesting the government move to privatise the mill, a workplace of around 2,000 workers.
As a result, a huge number of vehicles had to remain stranded at both the ends of the barricade. Under the banner of Aleem Jute Mill Privatisation Resistance Committee arranged the barricade as part their ongoing movement demanding immediate cancellation of the moves to privatise the state-owned jute mill.
When the barricade was on and the workers had been chanting full-throated slogans to press home their demands. The agitated workers’ threatened to go fresh agitation programme if demand was not met immediately.
The barricade followed by a rally at the same place with convener of the resistance committee Md Abdur Rashid presided over it.
The protesters while addressing the rally warned BJMC authorities of dire consequence if the jute mill is privatised. They urged BJMC to arrange adequate allocation of fund needed to run the jute mill for reaching production target buying raw materials.
Among others, president of Aleem Jute Mill Workers’ Union Md Abdus Salam Jamaddar, former Jute Mill Workers’ Union president Saiful Islam Litu, former general secretary Md Hamid Sardar, member secretary of the resistance committee Md Babul Reza, treasurer of union Sheikh Md Zakaria, Mozammel Haque, Syed Zakir Hossain, spoke on the occasion.
The discussants said any move to privatise the state-owned jute mill would be strongly resisted at any cost and whatever the loss. Because nearly 2,000 permanent and casual workers will go out of jobs if the mill is privatised.
Convener of the Aleem Jute Mill Privatisation Resistance Committee Md Abdur Rashid said, “We are determined to resist any further move by BJMC to privatise any more state-owned jute mill on lame cause.” Officer-in-Charge of Khanjahan Ali police station Md Akhter Hossain said they requested the workers to shorten their barricade time as it disrupted transport services on the highway creating sever traffic jam.
Earlier on June 10 last year nearly 2,000 workers of the state-owned Aleem Jute Mills Limited formed a human chain in front of the mill gate on Khulna-Jessore highway protesting the government move to privatise the mill. Under the banner of Alim Jute Mill Privatisation Resistance Committee arranged the human chain pprogramme from 10am to 11am for their ongoing movement against privatisation of the state owned jute mill.
President of the Jute Mill Workers’ Union Md Abdus Salam Jamaddar said that they will bring out protest procession at 5:30 pm on Thursday (June 11) wearing shrouds.
The agitated workers’ adding their family members wrapped up their heads with pieces of red cloth demanding immediate cancellation the move to privatise the mill.
The human chain followed by a rally at the same place disrupting transport services and creating severe traffic jam. Convener of the resistance committee Md Abdur Rashid presided over the rally.

Highway barricaded protesting privatisation

Aleem Jute Mills

Workers of the state-owned Aleem Jute Mills Limited yesterday barricaded the Khulna-Jessore highway and railway in front of the mill gate at Atra industrial area in the city for six hours from 9am to 3pm protesting the government move to privatise the mill, a workplace of around 2,000 workers. As a result, a huge number of vehicles had to remain stranded at both the ends of the barricade. Under the banner of Aleem Jute Mill Privatisation Resistance Committee arranged the barricade as part their ongoing movement demanding immediate cancellation of the moves to privatise the state-owned jute mill. When the barricade was on and the workers had been chanting full-throated slogans to press home their demands. The agitated workers threatened to go fresh agitation programme if demand was not met immediately. The barricade followed by a rally at the same place with convener of the resistance committee Md Abdur Rashid presided over it. The protesters while addressing the rally warned BJMC authorities of dire consequence if the jute mill is privatised. They urged BJMC to arrange adequate allocation of fund needed to run the jute mill for reaching production target buying raw materials. Among others, president of Aleem Jute Mill Workers Union Md Abdus Salam Jamaddar, former Jute Mill Workers Union president Saiful Islam Litu, former general secretary Md Hamid Sardar, member secretary of the resistance committee Md Babul Reza, treasurer of union Sheikh Md Zakaria, Mozammel Haque, Syed Zakir Hossain, spoke on the occasion. The discussants said any move to privatise the state-owned jute mill would be strongly resisted at any cost and whatever the loss. Because nearly 2,000 permanent and casual workers will go out of jobs if the mill is privatised. Convener of the Aleem Jute Mill Privatisation Resistance Committee Md Abdur Rashid said, We are determined to resist any further move by BJMC to privatise any more state-owned jute mill on lame cause. Officer-in-Charge of Khanjahan Ali police station Md Akhter Hossain said they requested the workers to shorten their barricade time as it disrupted transport services on the highway creating sever traffic jam. Earlier on June 10 last year nearly 2,000 workers of the state-owned Aleem Jute Mills Limited formed a human chain in front of the mill gate on Khulna-Jessore highway protesting the government move to privatise the mill. Under the banner of Alim Jute Mill Privatisation Resistance Committee arranged the human chain pprogramme from 10am to 11am for their ongoing movement against privatisation of the state owned jute mill. President of the Jute Mill Workers Union Md Abdus Salam Jamaddar said that they will bring out protest procession at 5:30 pm on Thursday (June 11) wearing shrouds. The agitated workers adding their family members wrapped up their heads with pieces of red cloth demanding immediate cancellation the move to privatise the mill. The human chain followed by a rally at the same place disrupting transport services and creating severe traffic jam. Convener of the resistance committee Md Abdur Rashid presided over the rally.