Khulna jute mill workers resume hunger strike

Workers of nine state-owned jute mills in Khulna and Jashore districts resumed their fast-unto-death on Sunday to press home their 11-point demand, including implementation of the wage commission and payment of regular wages, reports UNB.

Collective bargaining agents (CBAs) and non-CBA SongramParishad leaders announced to resume hunger strike unto death from a meeting held in the city on Friday.

About 50,000 workers of Star, Platinum, Crescent, Alim, Eastern, Daulatpur and Khalishpur jute mills in Khulna and JJI and Carpeting jute mills in Jashore went on an work abstention and took to BIDC road, Atra and Rajghat areas on Khulna-Jashore highway around 2 pm.

They also staged demonstrations to press home their demand.

Earlier, the workers of nine state-owned jute mills went on work abstention and observed fast-unto-death between 10 and 13 December.

Abdur Sattar, 55, a worker of Platinum Jute Mills, died at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) during the strike on 12 December.

Later the workers postponed their unto-death hunger strike until 17 December upon assurance from the state minister for labour of fulfilling their demands.

As the promise was not fulfilled till today, the workers resumed their hunger strike.

The 11-point demand also includes cancellation of public-private ownership of the jute mills, allotting necessary fund for jute sector and others.