The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

Thousands of jute mills workers on Tuesday observed token hunger strike protesting government's bid to lease out five state-owned jute mills including immediate payment of their arrears.

Tofazzal Hossain, regional coordinator of Collective Bargaining Agent CBA) told the reporters that the Government decided to lease out five jute mills to private sectors to make these profitable.

The workers attached to the jute mills came down in the street to protest it and demanding their arrears. The jute mills are Hafiz Jute Mills, Amin Jute Mills, Dhaka Carpet, Bagdad Carpet Mills and SM Jute Mill. The workers took stand in front of their respective jute mills in the morning as part of their protest program. They observed the program for more than two hours almost peacefully.

Sources said that they would unite again on Wednesday for the same reason. While addressing in the programs, the leaders urged the government to pay their arrears immediately and to take effective steps for their rehabilitation.

They said that it will be a suicidal decision if the government decides to lease out the jute mills to the private sectors without addressing the arrears of the workers.

They warned that they would soon go for tougher program if their demands are not met immediately.

They claimed that a good numbers of workers went on retirement either voluntary or forcibly but they did not get their arrear till now.

Neither the government nor the management of the organizations did take any step to pay the arrears of the jute mills workers those wnt in retirement.

Even the management failed to pay the weekly salary of the workers, they said.

Officials at the operative jute mills said that production was normal during the program observed by the workers. They termed it as logical program. Production became normal after 11:00 a.m., they claimed.

Sources said that the government had finalized to lease out five state-owned jute mills among eight to private sectors.