Production suspended at Sundarban Textile Mills
Sunday, 23 November 2008
Our Correspondent
KHULNA, Nov 22: The production in two units of Sundarban Textile Mills had been suspended from Wednesday last due to no response from any contractor to run production on contract basis. As a result 1,619 workers and employees of the mill have become workless.
Sources said the Sundarban Textile Mills was established in Satkhira Sadar in 1980 and it went into production in 1983. During the first decade of its operation mill became one of the highest profit earning industries of the country. In 1994, another unit "Nilkamol" was set up on its campus. After a certain period the mill had started incurring loss due to mismanagement and corruption.
In 1997, the then government decided to run the mill on contract basis. In this way the production in the mill continued for the last 11 years.
On July 31, 2007 the mill authority gave voluntary retirement to 801 officials and employees for reducing expenditure of the mill. At that time 1537 workers were appointed temporarily on no-work-no-pay basis. As a result the mill was financially benefited.
Mill sources said S Traders of Narayngonj was entrusted with the task of running the main unit of the mill on contract basis through tenders and the contract period expired on November 13. Besides, M/s Faruk Ahmed of Jessore was given the contract for Nilkamol unit and his contract also expired on November 19.
Earlier, the mill invited fresh tender for running the mill on contract basis on October 08, October 18 and November 03. But there was no response from any person or organisation. Consequently, 1,619 workers and employees have become jobless.
Contractor Faruk Ahmed said the demand for produced thread has declined in the local market. For this reason, huge quantities of thread worth about Tk 40 million have remained unsold in the mill warehouse.
KHULNA, Nov 22: The production in two units of Sundarban Textile Mills had been suspended from Wednesday last due to no response from any contractor to run production on contract basis. As a result 1,619 workers and employees of the mill have become workless.
Sources said the Sundarban Textile Mills was established in Satkhira Sadar in 1980 and it went into production in 1983. During the first decade of its operation mill became one of the highest profit earning industries of the country. In 1994, another unit "Nilkamol" was set up on its campus. After a certain period the mill had started incurring loss due to mismanagement and corruption.
In 1997, the then government decided to run the mill on contract basis. In this way the production in the mill continued for the last 11 years.
On July 31, 2007 the mill authority gave voluntary retirement to 801 officials and employees for reducing expenditure of the mill. At that time 1537 workers were appointed temporarily on no-work-no-pay basis. As a result the mill was financially benefited.
Mill sources said S Traders of Narayngonj was entrusted with the task of running the main unit of the mill on contract basis through tenders and the contract period expired on November 13. Besides, M/s Faruk Ahmed of Jessore was given the contract for Nilkamol unit and his contract also expired on November 19.
Earlier, the mill invited fresh tender for running the mill on contract basis on October 08, October 18 and November 03. But there was no response from any person or organisation. Consequently, 1,619 workers and employees have become jobless.
Contractor Faruk Ahmed said the demand for produced thread has declined in the local market. For this reason, huge quantities of thread worth about Tk 40 million have remained unsold in the mill warehouse.