Tk 336cr jute goods of 8 state-owned mills lie unsold
Eight state-owned Jute Mills in Khulna-Jessore industrial belt face financial crisis due to drastic fall in sale of jute products in the last six months.
Source in Khulna zonal office of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) said Jute goods worth about Tk 336 crore have remained unsold in the warehouses of the mills.
They said jute goods worth Tk 70 crore of Crescent Jute Mill, Tk 75 crore of Platinum Jute Mill, Tk 65 crore of Khalishpur Jute Mill, Tk 40 crore of Jessore Jute Industries, Tk 24 crore of Eastern Jute Mill, Tk 19 crore of Aleem Jute Mill, Tk 13 lakh of Carpeting Jute Mill and Tk 30 crore of Star Jute Mill are lying unsold in the warehouses of the mills.
Apart from the present financial condition of the eight jute mills, four major industries in Khulna are still waiting for reopening.
These are Khulna Newsprint Mill, Textile Mill, Daulatpur Jute Mill and Khulna Hardboard Mill.
The authorities concerned closed Khulna Newsprint Mill on November 30 in 2002, leaving over 3,000 workers and employees jobless. Tk 392 crore is needed to reopen the mill as per report submitted to BCIC in August, 2009 by a nine-member committee.
Daulatpur Jute Mill was closed down on December 7 in 2009, throwing over 2,000 workers and employees out of jobs. The authorities shut down the mill on ground of severe financial crisis. The jute mill needs Tk 65 crore for reopening.
The mill is expected to reopen next month as 90 percent of its maintenance work has already been completed, claimed Project Director Monowar Hossain.
Khulna Hardboard Mill was shut down on December 15 in 2002 and reopened on September 14 in 2005. But the authorities concerned closed the mill again in July last year due to severe financial crisis, throwing nearly 300 workers and employees out of jobs.
Khulna Textile Mill was shut down on June 19 in 1993 on ground of financial crisis, leaving 1800 workers and employees jobless.
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