Thirty thousand looms closed in Pabna after yarn price rise
Monday, 17 May 2010
Our Correspondent
PABNA, May 16: Agitated hand and power loom owners and weavers of the district brought out procession and put up a blockade on the Dhaka-Pabna highway at Jalalpur in Pabna Sadar Upazila Thursday, the second day of an indefinite strike to press home their six-point demand.
The agitated weavers chanted slogans demanding control of yarn price. Their roadblock caused traffic halt on the spot for half an hour.
Earlier, a protest rally was held on Jalalpur Natunpara Primary School premise in the morning. Handloom and Power Loom Owners' Association leader Rajab Ali chaired the protest meeting while the central leader of the organisation Shahjahan Ashraf, owners Badsha Mia, Karim Member, Nurul Alam spoke on the occasion.
The speakers said the monopoly yarn business had destroyed the handloom and power loom sector in the country.
"Yarn price has doubled or more within a couple of months. The 58-60 crown yarn that was selling at Tk 60-65 per pound two months ago is now being sold at Tk 130-135 per pound. Despite the rapid hike in yarn price, the price of fabrics has not increased. So, the loom owners are suffering. Most marginal weavers have closed their factories in the past two months," speakers said.
The speakers urged the government to control the yarn market. They also demanded yarn import through Benapole land port to break the monopoly business.
Shahjahan Ashrafi told the FE that there were 60 thousand looms in Pabna Sadar, Santhia and Sujanagar upazilas under the district. At least 30 thousand looms have already been shut down and more than a hundred thousand loom workers and their dependents were living in hardship, he said.
Aminul Haque, owner of a large factory with 50 power and handlooms in Jalalpur village said that he was unable to pay the installment against the bank loan because the production in his factory had fallen in the last 2-3 months. In fact, the production cost rose higher than the market price, he said. Earlier, the production cost of a 'lungi' was Tk 150-160. Now it is Tk 200-220 against the selling price of Tk 200-250.
PABNA, May 16: Agitated hand and power loom owners and weavers of the district brought out procession and put up a blockade on the Dhaka-Pabna highway at Jalalpur in Pabna Sadar Upazila Thursday, the second day of an indefinite strike to press home their six-point demand.
The agitated weavers chanted slogans demanding control of yarn price. Their roadblock caused traffic halt on the spot for half an hour.
Earlier, a protest rally was held on Jalalpur Natunpara Primary School premise in the morning. Handloom and Power Loom Owners' Association leader Rajab Ali chaired the protest meeting while the central leader of the organisation Shahjahan Ashraf, owners Badsha Mia, Karim Member, Nurul Alam spoke on the occasion.
The speakers said the monopoly yarn business had destroyed the handloom and power loom sector in the country.
"Yarn price has doubled or more within a couple of months. The 58-60 crown yarn that was selling at Tk 60-65 per pound two months ago is now being sold at Tk 130-135 per pound. Despite the rapid hike in yarn price, the price of fabrics has not increased. So, the loom owners are suffering. Most marginal weavers have closed their factories in the past two months," speakers said.
The speakers urged the government to control the yarn market. They also demanded yarn import through Benapole land port to break the monopoly business.
Shahjahan Ashrafi told the FE that there were 60 thousand looms in Pabna Sadar, Santhia and Sujanagar upazilas under the district. At least 30 thousand looms have already been shut down and more than a hundred thousand loom workers and their dependents were living in hardship, he said.
Aminul Haque, owner of a large factory with 50 power and handlooms in Jalalpur village said that he was unable to pay the installment against the bank loan because the production in his factory had fallen in the last 2-3 months. In fact, the production cost rose higher than the market price, he said. Earlier, the production cost of a 'lungi' was Tk 150-160. Now it is Tk 200-220 against the selling price of Tk 200-250.