Jute mill workers block roads as strike continues

Jute mill workers blocked roads and railways across the country in a 72-hour strike to press for a nine-point demand, reports bdnews24.com.
Jute Mill Workers League, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and the non-CBA Association called the strike over demands which include the payment of due salaries and implementation of the wage commission's recommendations.
Workers from jute mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC) in Chattogram blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway and the Chattogram-Rangamati Highway in Sitakunda from 8.00am on Tuesday. The shuttle train to Chattogram-Dhaka-Sylhet and Chattogram University-bound shuttle train was also blocked by protesters.
Despite the blockade programme being slated for four hours until 12.00pm, the demonstration ended at 9:30am due to the ongoing HSC examinations, said Md Mahbub, the general secretary of of Hafiz Jute Mill CBA.
"The blockades will continue over the next two days."
Meanwhile, workers from nine state-owned jute mills in Khulna and Jashore began their protest around 6.00am Tuesday. They blocked the highways and railways between 8.00am and 12.00pm.
The agitated workers halted productions at the mills and blocked the Kabir Battala Road on the Khulna-Jashore Highway by torching tyres.
The blockade stalled the scheduled train services at the Khulna Rail Station on Tuesday, causing difficulties for passengers.
Benapole-bound Commuter, Dhaka-bound Chitra Express, Rajshahi-bound Mahananda Express and Syedpur-bound Rupsa Express could not set off due to the blockade, said Khulna Station Master Manik Chandra Sarker.