BJA chief terms Daulatpur mill strike illegal
Chairman of Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA) Sheikh Faruque Hossain has urged about 14,000 workers belonging to Daulatpur Jute Press and Bailing Workers' Union to resume their work for greater economic interest of the country.
Earlier, the jute press workers from a rally at Khalishpur Sramik Maidan in Khulna city on Wednesday announced indefinite road blockade from tomorrow if their demand for increase in weekly wages is not met by today.
Jute export from Khulna and Daulatpur has remained suspended due to the indefinite work stoppage since November 29.
Terming the work stoppage illegal, the BJA chairman at a press statement yesterday said talks about meeting their demand for increase of weekly wages would resume after workers call off their programme in pursuance of the decision unanimously taken at a tripartite meeting held on December 3 in presence of State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Mannujan Sufian.
The meeting held at the conference room of Khulna Circuit House to resolve the crisis virtually failed as leaders of Daulatpur Jute Press and Bailing Workers' Union and the Action Coordination Committee backtracked from their consent to resume work.
Shortly after the meeting, the workers' leaders insisted on continuation of the movement until their demand is met.
"The illegal work stoppage by about 14,000 jute press workers has already created an adverse impact on the country's economy as 250 exporters and 50 other traders are involved in this trade that contribute largely to foreign exchange earnings," the BJA chief said in his statement.
"Three ships at Mongla port and two others at Chittagong port are waiting to load 26,000 tonnes of export quality jute while trucks laden with 10,000 tonnes of jute have been lying stranded at Benapole landport since workers began their work stoppage on November 29," he added.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments