Jute workers demand minimum nat'l wage

They also demanded to reopen all the closed mills and factories including jute mills immediately for the sake of the workers' future.

The leaders said private jute, cotton and textile mills and factories workers are passing an inhuman life, as they have been receiving only Tk 560 as basic wage for 21 years.

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They were excluded from the National Wage Commissions in 1991, 1997 and 2006, they added.

Despite their repeated appeals, the government did not pay heed to their demands, they said.

Hedayetul Islam, convenor of the central committee, said with price hike of essentials, it is now difficult to run our families with the meagre amount of money.

He demanded payment of all the arrears of the workers of the closed mills and factories.

The worker leaders announced different programmes including gate rally in different mills and factories on May 28 and sit-in at Muktangan on June 12 if their demands are not met.

Musa Mia, joint convenor of central committee, Shahidullah Khan, president of Mohsin Jute Mill, Khulna, Manirul Islam, president, Narshindi Jute Mill and different jute mill leaders were present at the conference.