Mill workers demonstrate against privatisation

Workers of the state-owned Alim Jute Mills Limited yesterday brought out a procession carrying sticks from the mill gate at Atra industrial area under Khanjahan thana in the city protesting the government move to privatise the mill. They marched through Khulna-Jessore highway of Atra industrial area chanting slogans to press home their demands. Under the banner of Alim Jute Mill Privatisation Resistance Committee arranged the procession at around 10am for their ongoing movement against privatisation of the state owned jute mill. The agitated workers threatened to go fresh agitation programme if demand not met immediately. The procession followed by a rally in front of mill gate disrupting transport services and creating severe traffic jam. Convener of the resistance committee Md Abdur Rashid presided over the rally. 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, 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, 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. President of the Jute Mill Workers’ Union Md Abdus Salam Jamaddar said, “We are determined to resist any further move by BJMC to privatise any more state-owned jute mill on lame cause.” He said if we needed may besiege the administrative office turning out all officials and employees from there asking them not to come back before our demand is met. He further said that they also brought out protest procession at 5:30 pm on Thursday (June 11) wearing shrouds.
None of the management of the mill could not be contacted for comment about the prevailing tense situation as their cell phones remained switched off.

Mill workers demonstrate against privatisation

Workers of the state-owned Alim Jute Mills Limited yesterday brought out a procession carrying sticks from the mill gate at Atra industrial area under Khanjahan thana in the city protesting the government move to privatise the mill. They marched through Khulna-Jessore highway of Atra industrial area chanting slogans to press home their demands. Under the banner of Alim Jute Mill Privatisation Resistance Committee arranged the procession at around 10am for their ongoing movement against privatisation of the state owned jute mill. The agitated workers threatened to go fresh agitation programme if demand not met immediately. The procession followed by a rally in front of mill gate disrupting transport services and creating severe traffic jam. Convener of the resistance committee Md Abdur Rashid presided over the rally. 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, 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, 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. President of the Jute Mill Workers Union Md Abdus Salam Jamaddar said, We are determined to resist any further move by BJMC to privatise any more state-owned jute mill on lame cause. He said if we needed may besiege the administrative office turning out all officials and employees from there asking them not to come back before our demand is met. He further said that they also brought out protest procession at 5:30 pm on Thursday (June 11) wearing shrouds. None of the management of the mill could not be contacted for comment about the prevailing tense situation as their cell phones remained switched off.