Temporary jute mill workers stage sit-in

Hundreds of temporary workers of nine Chattogram-based state-owned jute mills staged a four-hour sit-in before Amin Jute Mills starting 8:00am yesterday with a three-point demand including reopening all mills and paying all dues.

The halt in salary payments since June 2020 has left them unable to afford food, they said. On June 2 last year the government announced closure of all jute mills but salaries and allowances were not paid, said one worker, Nasir Uddin Ahmed.

As a result, 3,000 temporary worker are passing days in misery, he said.

According to the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) officials, the government closed down 25 state-owned jute mills on June 2020.

The BJMC has also started paying the dues of 25,000 permanent workers.

However, due to mismatch of various information, including names in national identity cards, about 3,000 workers have not yet received their dues.

After these dues were paid, the temporary workers would start getting their payment.