Election 2008Four Khulna-3 Candidates

<i>They vow to resolve woes to woo jute workers</i>

20 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Quazi Amanullah, Khulna

Four candidates from Khulna-3 (Khalishpur-Daulatpur) constituency have made commitment to stand by the jute mill workers in their movement to realise all legitimate demands including payment of arrears. Kazi Sikander Ali Dalim of four-party alliance, Mannujan Sufian of Awami League, Abdul Gaffar Biswas of Jatiya Party and Moulana Gazi Noor Ahmed of Islami Andolan Bangladesh made the commitment as thousands of jute mill workers at a rally on Friday threatened to boycott the December 29 election. Jute and Jute Industry Protection Committee (JJIPC) organised the rally at Peoples Jute Mills ground. Khulna-3 seat has been kept open for AL and JP candidates as the two key partners of grand alliance failed to reach a consensus. The four candidates said they would extend their active support to jute mill workers' movement in realising their legitimate rights. Referring to the vital role of workers in Khulna industrial belt in previous movements, the candidates vowed to express their solidarity with their ongoing movement and try wholeheartedly to resolve the crisis if elected lawmaker from Khulna-3 constituency where there are eight state-owned and private jute mills. In response to the call made by JJIPC, the candidates also vowed to resign from parliament in case of failure to fulfil demands of jute mill workers. Leaders of JJIPC at the rally said jute mill workers would launch movement not only to press home their demands but also to press for resignation of the elected lawmaker for failure to implement the election pledge to resolve crisis in Khulna industrial belt. CBA leaders of state-owned jute mills and JJIPC leaders addressed the rally presided over by prominent civil society leader advocate Feroze Ahmed. JJIPC leaders also warned of movement against the next elected government if in case of failure to implement polls pledges mentioned in the manifesto. The workers' demands include payment of all arrears by December 28, reopening of all closed jute mills, Khulna Newsprint Mill and Khulna Textile Mills, establishment of new industries to create job opportunities, non-privatisation of state-owned jute mills, abolition of BJMC, formation of a Jute Committee, rejection of prescriptions given by World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Develop-ment Bank and removal of corrupt officials from state-owned jute mills.