Amin Jute Mill workers demand resignation of Jute adviser, cancellation of privatisation measures
The workers of the now-defunct Amin Jute Mill, alongside political and labour leaders, have demanded the resignation of the Jute Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin and the immediate reopening of all state-owned jute mills that were previously shut down.
They strongly opposed the leasing of these mills to private entities, calling for the cancellation of privatisation measures.
The workers placed the demands today at a press conference held at the Amin Jute Mill Workers Trade Union office in Chattogram.
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The conference was presided over by Abdul Mannan, joint convener of the Central Committee of the Jute Workers' Party, and written statements were read by Kamal Uddin, Member Secretary of the Chattogram District Committee for the Workers-Farmers-Public Unity to Save Jute Mills.
The event was attended by several CBA and non-CBA leaders including Shamsul Alam, Mustafa, and Shahjahan.
The leaders demanded that the dues owed to workers, including regular employees of five jute mills, be immediately paid. This includes wages for 60 days' notice compensation for sudden termination, and various allowances such as Baishakhi bonuses and Eid bonuses. Workers have also demanded a complete and final settlement of their overdue payments without further delay.
The leaders called for an investigation into the assets of project heads of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), the publication of a white paper on their activities, and their transfer to different workplaces.
They also demanded an extension of the 13 January letter submission deadline for documents related to 490 substitute workers' claims.
The workers emphasized that their demands are not political but rather a fight for survival. They highlighted the gross mismanagement and negligence by BJMC and past administrations, which led to the closure of state-owned jute mills in July 2020. The decision, made under the guise of modernising the sector, left thousands of workers jobless and deprived them of their rightful earnings.
The speakers criticised what they called "anti-worker policies," accusing the government of prioritizing international financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank over the welfare of jute workers. They expressed their dismay at how successive governments failed to honor their commitments to modernise and reopen the mills, despite repeated assurances.
They condemned the actions of former Jute Minister Gazi Golam Dastagir and certain BJMC officials, who, they alleged, exploited workers while engaging in corruption and mismanagement. These officials, they claimed, created unnecessary complications regarding NID verification and withheld payments to workers for years, compounding their financial distress.
The workers have issued an ultimatum to clear their overdue payment, delayed relating NID verification, within seven days.
They warned that if their demands are not met, they cannot guarantee the avoidance of unrest. The leaders said any resulting disorder would not be the responsibility of political parties or labour organisations but rather the government's inaction.
