Rangpur Sugar Mills workers begin agitation

The programme included protest meeting, procession, exchanging views with professional groups, laying siege to the offices of the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), hartal (strike), digging of mass grave and committing mass suicide.

On the first day of the programme workers and sugarcane growers wore black badges.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

They demanded withdrawal of the decision the keep the mills operative for the survival of 1,120 workers and hundreds of sugarcane growers.

Last year the authorities declared the mills' layoff due to continuous loss since its inception.

In protest labourers and cane growers began a month long agitation programme. As a result the mills decided to held up the layoff decision for the time being. The mills went into production, but the mills could not run in full course for want of adequate input and closed down on January 20. During the period the mills produced 4,000 metric tons of sugar by crushing 60,000 tons of sugarcane during 45 working days. The mills incurred a loss of about Tk 3 cr in this season. Ultimately, the mills authorities have decided to stop operations from March 31.