Khulna jute mill workers continue strike, block road, rail routes

KHULNA, May 12 (UNB): Jute mill workers in Khulna on Sunday continued their strike for the seventh consecutive day demanding payment of outstanding wages.

The workers of nine state-owned jute mills of the Khulna-Jashore area went on work abstention on May 5 halting production at the mills.

The workers gathered in front of their respective mills around 3:30 pm and demonstrated on Khulna-Jashore Highway blocking it at 4.00pm triggering gridlock in the area.

The workers' leaders said around 13,271 workers who have been working in the jute mills in Khulna are passing their days in extreme poverty at risk of starvation.

They also demanded implementation of their 9-point demand including payment of arrears.

Earlier in the face of frequent demonstrations, the authorities along with Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) and Jute Ministry had decided to pay workers' wages of 11 weeks and other employees' salary of four months within April 25, but failed.