The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Narayanganj

More than one thousand cotton processing mills in Narayanganj closed due to fixation of Export Minimum Price (EMP) by the government recently.

A total of 50,000 workers were rendered jobless and a state of unrest was prevailing in the areas where these factories are located.

These small factories were set up over the last decade depending on huge cutting waste available from the knit garment factories. Sources said that the knit garment factories in and around Narayangonj consume 10,000 metric tons of yarn per month to produce garments for export. In the process a total of 500 metric tons of cutting are available which popularly known as garment jute.

Factories located al Lakhkhankhola, Ispahani bazaar & Nabiganj under Bandar Upazila, Siddirganj, Goadnail and Dhakeswari under Sadar Upazila have the capacity to produce 250 metric tons of processed cotton per day using the garment waste. India and Nepal are the major buyers of this item.

Ministry of Commerce recently fixed the export minimum price (EMP) at US $ 1.60 per kilogram where these factories are exporting the same at much lower price till date.

The factory owners handed over a memorandum to the Ministry of Commerce through the Deputy Commissioner of Narayangonj demanding withdrawal of the (EMP) immediately.