Eminent citizens demanded the immediate reversal of the decision to shut down all the mills under the state owned Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) on Tuesday.
A total of 159 eminent personalities made the demand in a joint press statement released under the banner “Sarbajankatha,” reports UNB.
In the statement, they introduced a four point demand which they have urged the government to accept. The points include immediate reopening of the 25 jute mills, proper payment of arrear wages to workers, the adoption of proper safety measures to forestall the risk of coronavirus transmission, eradicating corruption from the jute industry and enhancing the productive capacities of the jute mills by improving the management system and modernizing the mills.
“As always, we have identified the closure of the jute mills as a solution to the sector’s problems instead of taking action against the corrupt public servants and government officials,”the statement added.
Earlier on Sunday, Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi had said : “25 mills under the state owned Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) will be shut down in the face of staggering losses. All workers will be released with golden handshakes.
“Around Tk. 5,000 crore will be allocated to clear all arrears of 8,954 workers who have retired since 2014 as well as for the 24,886 workers who will be released under the golden handshake,” he added.
