KHULNA, June 29, 2020 (BSS) – Mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Talukder Abdul Khaleque here today said government has decided to run state owned seven Khulna jute mills through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
“Due to mounting losses of BJMC, the (state-owned jute) mills will be modernized in line with the native and global demands after a golden handshake process of the workers,” the Mayor Khaleque said as the chief guest at the press conference held at Circuit House Conference room.
Underscoring the need for modernization of the BJMC mills, 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 while BJMC’s old management structure is not suitable for modern technology-based production system, he said
He said all dues of retired workers (8954) since 2014, all due salaries of current workers (24,886), provident fund, gratuity and at maximum 27 percent rate of gratuity will be paid cent percent all together as retirement facilities and around Taka 5,000 crore will be provided from the government budget to this end.
After the voluntary retirement, initiatives will be taken to run the mills in PPP or joint venture or G to G or lease model under the control of the government, he said.
Khaleque said the current workers, who will retire voluntarily, will get priority of jobs in the mills to be modernized and reopened in the new model and new employment opportunities will also be created in those mills.
Khulna District Administration organized the conference with deputy commissioner Md Helal Hossain in the chair.
Terming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is very cordial regarding workers, Khaleque said, the government has given Tk 10,000 crores as compensation, so far, thinking of worker’s wellbeing.
“Each worker will get Taka over 12 lakh to 54 lakh as per decision by the government,” he added.
Additional Police Commissioner Sardar Rakibul Islam, Superintendent of Police SM Shafiullah, Additional District Magistrate Md Yousup Ali, President of Khulna Press Club SM Nazrul Islam, President of Khulna Union of Journalists (KUJ) Munshi Md. Mahbub Alom Sohag, among others, was present at the event.
Meanwhile, workers along with their family members of nine state run jute mills staged two hours sit-in-demonstration in front of their respective mills from 9am to 11am in protest of golden handshake by the government.
CBA and Non-CBA Sangram Parishad of Bangladesh State Owned Jute Mills called the today’s agitation programme, adding, they will observe fast-unto-death at the same places from July 1 if the government do not cancel the decision by June 30 (tomorrow).
Convener of Sangram Parishad Sardar Abdul Hamid told BSS, over 25000 jute workers including their family members will lead their like beggars if the jute mills were shut