Jute minister asks mill workers not to worry as PM takes their responsibilities

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File photo

DHAKA, July 3, 2020 (BSS) – Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi today urged the jute mill workers not to worry as the Prime Minister (PM) has taken their responsibilities.

“The honorable prime minister has taken the responsibilities of the jute mill workers. So, there is no reason to be worried. The government has decided to modernize and repair the state-owned BJMC jute mills after paying all dues of workers,” he told an online press briefing from his residence here this afternoon.

The press briefing was held following the government’s decision over stopping the production of 25 stated-owned jute mille under Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) after paying cent percent dues, include wages, provident funds and gratuities to nearly 25,000 workers with a view to modernize the mills which is being run with 70-80 year-old machineries to enable those in coping with the national and international demands of jute products, said an official handout.

State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian, Textiles and Jute Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah and Additional Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam were present on the occasion.

In line with the prime minister’s decision, the jute minister said, wages of June 2020 would be paid to respective bank accounts of the workers in the next week as per the Wage Commission-2015 while 60-day wages of July-August (as per the tenure of the notice) will also be paid in the respective months.

He said 50 percent of rest of all dues, including provident fund (PF), gratuity and golden handshake facilities, will be paid to respective bank accounts and rest of 50 percent will be given as savings certificates against respective names by September next.

Gazi said all dues will be calculated in light of the wage-commission-2015 in everything.

The minister said all dues of retired workers (8954) since 2014, all due wages 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 under PPP or joint venture or G to G or lease model under the control of the government, he said.

Gazi 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. All workers must be rehabilitated, he added.

He requested the retired workers to inform details of their respective bank accounts to BJMC for getting the payment.