Desk Report

The government will close down the jute mills still in operation and lease them out to private management if the workers pressed on with their demonstrations, the local government adviser has warned.

The government has set aside Tk 12.5 crore to pay off the arrears of the agitating Khulna jute mills workers in a couple of days, M Anwarul Iqbal said on Wednesday.
 
"If the workers continue to demonstrate, the government will close the remaining mills and then those will be leased out to the private sector," Iqbal told reporters at the Secretariat.
 
The government has already closed eight of the 22 jute mills under Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation. The remaining 14 mills are now run by the government.
 
The adviser, however, admitted that the movement of the workers was rational.
 
"The workers who retired through golden handshake [programme] were supposed to get their money in several installments. But the BJMC paid off only first and second instalments and purchased jutes with the third instalment."
 
The interim cabinet in its meeting in Khulna had formed a committee to hunt down those involved with the purchase of jute with the money of the workers.
 
He did not rule out political support behind the ongoing demonstrations of the workers of Khulna jute mills.
 
"There might be. But the workers were dissatisfied as they were not getting their arrears."
 
Though the caretaker government closed eight jute mills, it moved to reopen them on lease considering the interest of the workers, he said.
 
The government, he said, was also getting revenues from the mills.
 
"Five jute mills (RR, Peoples, Karnaphuli, FKCF and MM) have been leased out so far and the government will get Tk 12.48 crore from them each year," he said.
 
Besides, a process in on to invite bids for Kaomi and BDCF jute mills.
 
Aleem Jute Mill cannot be leased out due to legal barriers, he said.

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