Khulna state-owned jute mill workers will be paid dues in time: Khaleque

Khulna City Corporation mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque said seven state-owned jute mill workers here, who were recently announced to be sent into golden handshake along with other identical mills in country, would be paid dues in time as per government directives.

"The government has allocated Tk 5,000 crore to pay the dues of jute mill workers and fifty percent of their dues will be paid in cash and rest of the amount will be given through profit-based savings certificates," he said.

The mayor made the remarks at a view exchange meeting with CBA and non-CBA labour leaders of jute mills in Khulna at Nagar Bhaban conference room Saturday afternoon.

Underscoring the need for modernization of mills under Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), he said the workability of these mills which run with 60-70 years old machineries has reduced to almost zero with the course of time.

BJMC's old management structure is not suitable for modern technology-based production system, he said.

"Due to mounting losses of BJMC, the (state-owned jute) mills will be modernized through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in line with the native and global demands after a golden handshake process of the workers," he added.

Mentioning that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very cordial about workers, Khaleque said the government has given Tk 10,000 crores as compensation, so far, thinking of worker's wellbeing.
"Each worker will get Tk over 12 lakh to 54 lakh as per decision by the government," he added.

General Secretary of Khulna City Awami League (AL) MDA Babul Rana, General Secretary of Khalishpur Thana AL Monirul Islam Bashar, former Office Secretary of City unit AL Md. Munshi Mahbub Alam Sohag, its former Organizing Secretary Md. Ashraful Islam and CBA and non-CBA labour leaders of seven state-owned jute mills in Khulna were present in the meeting.

Earliar, City mayor Khaleque distributed rice and other food items among 200 tailors on the councillor's office premises in Ward No. 23 of the city under the 'Humanitarian Assistance Program' announced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.