Reopening of state-owned jute, sugar mills demanded

The Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) called for the reopening of 25 closed state-owned jute mills and six sugar mills under the government management after modernisation.

The organisation made the call at a protest rally in front of the National Press Club on Tuesday.

Leaders of the platform said the existence of state-owned factories is important to protect the people from the monopoly and exploitation of businessmen.

Instead of identifying the corrupt and bringing them to justice, the decision to close the mills by blaming workers for the corruption of the bureaucracy means encouraging them to do more corruption, they alleged.

The platform also placed some other demands, including regularising the jobs of 3rd and 4th class employees and stopping recruitment through outsourcing.

Joint Coordinator of SKOP Nur Qutb Mannan said it is possible to make jute mills profitable at a cost of Tk1,200 crore. But the government closed state-owned jute mills and pushed thousands of workers into unemployment amid Covid-19 blaming the losses, considering the corrupt bureaucracy's recommendation.

As part of the closure of all state-owned sugar mills in phases, the government has already announced the closure of production of six mills, he alleged.

The profit and loss of a state-owned institution cannot be determined by the difference between the income and expenditure, Mannan said.

Bangladesh Trade Union Center president Sahidullah Chowdhury, Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal president Anwar Hossain, and National Workers Alliance president Mezbah Uddin Ahmed, National Workers Alliance Bangladesh president Saifuzzaman Badshah and Samajtantrik Sramik Front president Rajekuzzaman Ratan and many others also spoke on the occasion.

In July, the government shut down all 25 remaining state-owned jute mills under the Bangladeshi Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), laying off 50,000 workers and employees.