The End of Public Jute Mills Era: Workers Cry

With the closure of 25 jute mills, more than 25,000 permanent workers lost their jobs. According to the official announcement, the permanent workers will be paid all the dues and benefits as per the labor law within the next two months. This will cost the government about five thousand crore taka. However, temporary and substitute workers are not getting any additional benefits.

The government closed down the state-owned jute mills because of the continued losses. Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) has been able to beg profit from jute mills only four times in the 47 years since its inception. It has given losses for 44 years. At present, its accumulated losses have exceeded Tk. 10,000 crore, though many private jute mills are making good profits.

Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Ghazi told a news conference on Friday, "The workers will be paid in two steps. Jute mills will be reopened by modernization under PPP. Then these workers will get priority."

Workers cry in the countryside

Although it was supposed to be closed from July 1, the jute mills were closed on the night of July 2. Shahana Sharmin- CBA president of Khulna Platinum Jute Mills- said workers broke down in tears at various jute mills during the shutdown. There is still a roll of tears in the workers' village of Khulna.

The workers live in the jute mill workers' colony. Many have families and children. The children are studying so workers are lost now. However, those who are bachelors have started leaving Khulna.

Although the losses in the jute mills continue, the labor leaders think that it is not the responsibility of the workers This situation has been created due to mismanagement. It was not modernized in time. Another reason for the delicate situation has been created only because of making sacks instead of going for alternative products of jute.

"We have accepted the decision of the government," said Saiful Islam Litu, CBA president of Alim Jute Mills. However, it was possible to save the jute mills. If private jute mill business can continue, why can't we! But it does not depend on us anymore. Modernization was needed, but it was not done. "

The closed jute mills are in Dhaka, Khulna, and Chittagong, Of these, seven are in Dhaka, ten in Chittagong and eight in Khulna. But, the jute mills of Khulna are the largest ones. 

Shahidullah Chowdhury- president of the Bangladesh Trade Union Center- thinks that all state-owned jute mills in Bangladesh have been shut down following the BNP government's agreement with the World Bank on jute mills in 1993. 

He said, "We have come up with a plan on how to make jute mills modern and profitable at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore,". But the government did not accept our plan The words of the bureaucrats have worked. "

"Of these, 25,000 workers are unemployed," he said. They will get their due. But there are 11,000 more transfers and temporary workers. They will not get any benefit outside the salary. Now all the factories will follow the path shown by the government. Many workers will lose their jobs." said the labor leader.

The end of an era

In March 1972, the government nationalized all the industries in different sectors of the country. The management of the mills was given to various corporations. Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) was given the responsibility of operating the jute mills. At that time, a total of 6 jute mills were nationalized. But the jute mills gradually turned into loss-making companies. Adamji Jute Mill, the largest jute mill in Asia in Bangladesh, was shut down on June 30, 2000. 52 years after its establishment due to continuous losses. Then in a few steps, more jute mills were closed and this time 25 jute mills were closed in that section. This marked the end of the state-owned jute mill era in Bangladesh.

*He works at Deutsche Welle