Workers rally in Demra demanding mill reopening

Workers of Latif Bawani and Karim Jute Mills on Friday demanded immediate payment of all outstanding dues and reopening of the two closed jute mills after modernisation.

More than 200 workers of the two mills joined a rally in front of Mala Market in Demra, Dhaka, calling for the revival of Latif Bawani and Karim Jute Mills and other closed jute mills across the country.

The rally was chaired by Mohammad Ibrahim, a worker of Latif Bawani Jute Mill and a leader of the Latif Bawani and Karim Jute Mills Protection Struggle Council.

Speaking at the programme, Ibrahim said the two jute mills, particularly Latif Bawani Jute Mill, are closely linked with the country’s Liberation War and independence movement.

He alleged that 24 state-owned jute mills, including the two in Demra, were shut down during the previous government period, leaving thousands of workers unemployed while their outstanding payments remained unpaid.

He said workers had proposed providing Tk1,200 crore to modernise the mills and turn them into profitable enterprises, but their proposal was not considered.

He urged the government to take immediate steps to reopen the mills, saying many former workers have suffered due to unemployment and financial hardship.

Worker leader Sultan Majhi said successive governments had failed to improve the condition of workers and accused political parties of using labourers only for political gains.

He said workers had expected the reopening of closed factories after the current government announced a Tk60,000 crore allocation for industrial revival but expressed disappointment over subsequent decisions regarding the mills.

Bangladesh Trade Union Centre Dhaka Metropolitan Committee Organising Secretary Murshikul Islam Shimul demanded that all closed jute mills be modernised and reopened under state management.

He said public funds should be used to revive closed industries instead of providing incentives to private businesses.

Shimul also demanded immediate payment of workers’ dues and called for labour-friendly policies from the government.

The rally was also addressed by leaders of the Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Goshthi, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and other labour organisations, including Shankar Acharya, T H Mostafa Dipu, Ayat Ali, Akhtar Hossain, Saidul Islam, Nur Islam and Jahangir Hossain.