Closed jute mills Workers to get dues by Nov

Workers of the closed state-owned jute mills will get their dues by next month, textiles and jute minister Golam Dastagir Gazi said on Wednesday.

"As per the assurance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, jute mill workers under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) will be paid their dues by November next," he cited.

Mr Gazi was addressing a press briefing on the payment of dues to retired and laid-off workers of jute mills under the BJMC at his secretariat office.

He said finance division had disbursed more than Tk 17.90 billion and the workers of eight mills started getting their dues.

Payment is being done through the workers' respective banks accounts and sanchayapatra (savings tool) scheme.

He said the workers of Hafiz Jute Milks in Chattogram and Eastern Jute Mills in Khulna will get their dues (salaries and other benefits) from October 25.

"We hope to pay all dues by November next."

The minister said farmers were getting fair price because of a growing demand for jute globally.

Average price of raw jute this season is almost Tk 3,000 per maund, which is 50 per cent higher than last year's, he commented.

For this reason, farmers will be interested in growing jute that will ultimately lead to the jute sector's contribution to the economy, observed Mr Gazi.

He said the government had formed two committees for modernisation of jute mills as well as revitalising the ailing sector.

Based on their suggestions, he hoped, the closed mills could be reopened in a new shape through modernisation.

Mr Gazi said skilled workers will get back their jobs.

The government laid off or closed all 25 BJMC-controlled jute mills last July with assurances of providing gratuities, provident fund and other service benefits to the retrenched workers.

Considering their woes, the premier decided to pay Tk 40 billion in dues to 24,609 permanent workers.

Besides, Tk 10 billion will be provided to 10,107 workers who went on retirement after 2013.

The PM directed to pay 50-per cent dues in cash and the rest through providing interest of sanchayapatra after every three months.

Despite the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, jute and jute goods registered 8.10-per cent export growth to Tk 8.82 billion in fiscal year 2019-20.

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