Kawmi Jute Mills facing closure again for jute

The raw jute stock may keep the mill running hardly for three days, sources at the mill said yesterday.

Over 76,000 quintals of jute are needed to keep the mill running till June this year. But only 43,000 quintals were bought three months ago, which is nearly exhausted.

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About 3960 workers and employees are now fearing lay-off of the mill as it has no money to buy jute. They are passing hard days due to non-payment of wages for 27 weeks, the sources said.

The mill is limping with an accumulated loss of about Tk 70 crore and a heavy burden of bank loans and debts, they said.

Besides lack of running capital, the old mill needs spares and other materials, which are not being supplied for long despite repeated requests to higher authorities in Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), the sources said.

Production is interrupted at times when old spindles grind to a halt. They need to be repaired but that can not be done due to lack of spares.

The mill was reopened in January following demonstrations by workers and employees, who, under the banner of an 'action committee', had held rallies, brought out processions and submitted a memorandum to the prime minister through Sirajganj Deputy Commissioner.

The fear of closure of the mill again, allegedly due to negligence by authorities, has created discontent among its staff and local people.

Talking to this correspondent, some of the employees said they are preparing for tougher agitation if the mill stops production due to lack of raw jute.

The mill with 533 weaving machines was set up on 75 acres of land in Raipur in Sirajganj town in 1961. It started operation with about 7,000 workers and employees.

As over 200 weaving machines are closed for long, the staff came down to 18,00 permanent workers, 2,125 temporary workers and 40 others employees. They are now counting days when they will be out of job, some workers said, blaming the government for this.

A total of 243 workers and employees were retrenched earlier through 'golden handshake' but their arrears have not yet been paid, they alleged.

When contacted, the deputy general manager of the mill declined to talk to this correspondent on the present situation there.