Closure of Sirajganj Spinning, Cotton Mills makes 850 workers jobless
Friday, 20 July 2007
Our Correspondent
SIRAJGANJ, July 19 : The closure of Sirajganj Spinning and Cotton Mills (SSCM) has left 850 workers jobless, and also deteriorated the socio-economic condition of the district, sources said.
SSCM was established in 1966 on 22.5 acres of land at Rahmatganj under Sirajganj municipality and was nationalised in 1972. However, after nationalisation it was closed three times.
The mills, in its heyday, used raw cotton worth about Tk 59,85,900 and produced threads worth about Tk 82,34,000 per year. Its activities contributed a lot to the overall development of Sirajganj as well as the entire northern region.
But now the mills, worth about Tk 37.0 million, is closed for lack of proper financial patronisation and other problems. There is no sign that it would reopen soon.
When contacted, the SSCM chairman said the mills had been closed mainly for acute financial crisis and antiquated machinery. Though Rupali Bank was supposed to provide loans to the mills, it did not do so until now. If modern machinery can be set up with the help of bank loans, SSCM will be able to make profit as before, he added.
Meanwhile, another report said, the farmers of nine upazilas of the district are now interested in cultivating high-yielding varieties of jute in their land as they got fair prices of their production last season.
Local farmers said, the high-yielding varieties of jute sold at Tk 900 per maund in the local markets this year against Tk 500 of the previous year.
SIRAJGANJ, July 19 : The closure of Sirajganj Spinning and Cotton Mills (SSCM) has left 850 workers jobless, and also deteriorated the socio-economic condition of the district, sources said.
SSCM was established in 1966 on 22.5 acres of land at Rahmatganj under Sirajganj municipality and was nationalised in 1972. However, after nationalisation it was closed three times.
The mills, in its heyday, used raw cotton worth about Tk 59,85,900 and produced threads worth about Tk 82,34,000 per year. Its activities contributed a lot to the overall development of Sirajganj as well as the entire northern region.
But now the mills, worth about Tk 37.0 million, is closed for lack of proper financial patronisation and other problems. There is no sign that it would reopen soon.
When contacted, the SSCM chairman said the mills had been closed mainly for acute financial crisis and antiquated machinery. Though Rupali Bank was supposed to provide loans to the mills, it did not do so until now. If modern machinery can be set up with the help of bank loans, SSCM will be able to make profit as before, he added.
Meanwhile, another report said, the farmers of nine upazilas of the district are now interested in cultivating high-yielding varieties of jute in their land as they got fair prices of their production last season.
Local farmers said, the high-yielding varieties of jute sold at Tk 900 per maund in the local markets this year against Tk 500 of the previous year.