'Action programme' to save jute industry on cards
Saturday, 11 August 2007
A broader campaign drawing on representatives from political parties, labour bodies, jute growers and workers, businesspeople, economists and civil society is on the cards to save the jute industry, reports bdnews24.com.
Workers are being shot dead when they demand their overdue wages, said speakers at a roundtable, referring to Thursday's killing of a worker in police firing at Amin Jute Mills in Chittagong.
Qazi Khaliquzzaman Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Economics Association (BEA), said the 'action programme' would be announced taking views of those affected by the industry's plight.
The campaign would include formation of a human chain, Ahmed and others said in the roundtable titled "What kind of jute policy is needed for saving two crore people including jute farmers and workers."
The discussion was held at the National Press Club Friday morning.
The speakers said jute industry, including one of the world's biggest jute mills, the Adamjee Jute Mills, had been destroyed at the advice of the donor agencies, the World Bank and the IMF.
Those workers who have been made unemployed are now unable to make a living, they added.
Economist Anu Muhammad who presented the keynote speech said the jute industry has been neglected for long.
Only a few years back, 9.80 per cent of the country's total export earnings came from jute and jute goods but it fell to 4.70 per cent in 2005-06.
Labour leader Shahidullah Chowdhury said wrong policies of the past governments had brought the jute industry down to its knees.
The caretaker government is following suit, he said referring to the government's recent restructuring of the jute industry.
MM Akash, who teaches economics at Dhaka University, said momentum must be built up through public opinion for an action programme to save the jute industry.
"This industry cannot be saved without a united and strong movement."
"At a time when the Bangladesh jute industry is on the verge of collapse, the industry has got a new lease of life in India," he said.
"India is working with the aim of increasing the export earnings from jute industry to Rs 50 billion (5,000 crore) by the year 2010 from present Rs 10 billion (1,000 crore)," he added.
Workers are being shot dead when they demand their overdue wages, said speakers at a roundtable, referring to Thursday's killing of a worker in police firing at Amin Jute Mills in Chittagong.
Qazi Khaliquzzaman Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Economics Association (BEA), said the 'action programme' would be announced taking views of those affected by the industry's plight.
The campaign would include formation of a human chain, Ahmed and others said in the roundtable titled "What kind of jute policy is needed for saving two crore people including jute farmers and workers."
The discussion was held at the National Press Club Friday morning.
The speakers said jute industry, including one of the world's biggest jute mills, the Adamjee Jute Mills, had been destroyed at the advice of the donor agencies, the World Bank and the IMF.
Those workers who have been made unemployed are now unable to make a living, they added.
Economist Anu Muhammad who presented the keynote speech said the jute industry has been neglected for long.
Only a few years back, 9.80 per cent of the country's total export earnings came from jute and jute goods but it fell to 4.70 per cent in 2005-06.
Labour leader Shahidullah Chowdhury said wrong policies of the past governments had brought the jute industry down to its knees.
The caretaker government is following suit, he said referring to the government's recent restructuring of the jute industry.
MM Akash, who teaches economics at Dhaka University, said momentum must be built up through public opinion for an action programme to save the jute industry.
"This industry cannot be saved without a united and strong movement."
"At a time when the Bangladesh jute industry is on the verge of collapse, the industry has got a new lease of life in India," he said.
"India is working with the aim of increasing the export earnings from jute industry to Rs 50 billion (5,000 crore) by the year 2010 from present Rs 10 billion (1,000 crore)," he added.