6,000 to lose jobs as four state-owned mills to be privatised

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The caretaker government Wednesday announced a comprehensive reform programme for the state-owned jute mills to make them profitable and viable units, reports UNB.
Under the programme announced by Jute and Textiles Adviser Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, four state-owned jute mills, out of 22, would be shut down soon to sell out them to private entrepreneurs, retrenching their 6,000 staff and workers.
The mills are Peoples Jute Mills in Khulna, Karnaphuli Jute Mills and Forat-Karnaphuli Carpet Factory in Chittagong, and Kaumi Jute Mills in Sirajganj.
Besides, another 8,000 employees of the remaining 18 mills will be retrenched by December this year under a golden handshake programme.
Addressing a press briefing at the Jute Ministry office, the adviser said the government worked out the programme after four months of constant efforts to rejuvenate the country's jute sector.
Geeteara said a total of Tk 13.67 billion (1,367 crore) will be required to implement the programme.
Jute and Textiles Secretary Abdur Rashid Sarker and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) Chairman Atahar Islam were present at the press conference.
Geeteara said the workers would get their all benefits like gratuity, retirement benefits and notice-pay when they would be retrenched.
After the retrenchment, they will be employed on daily basis.
Under the programme, she said, reforms would be carried out in administration, management, finance, marketing and other segments of the state-owned jute mills.
Replying to a question, she said the government would provide Tk 2.0 billion (200 crore) from the "unseen head" of the national budget and private banks will provide Tk 1.38 billion, while the rest would come from the sale of 120 acres of land of the state-owned jute mills.
After implementation of the programme, Geeteara believes, the state-owned jute mills will come to a break-even point within three years.
Under the programme, she said, two mills would be operated under public-private partnership and an Australian firm has already invested money to operate the two mills.