Khulna’s state-owned 9 jute mill equipment is on the way to destruction.

Md. Shamim Hossain –

Khulna For the past two and a half years, there has been no noise, the sound of the loom, and the busyness of the officials. Everything is abandoned. This picture is of 9 state-owned jute mills in Khulna region which have been closed. Meanwhile, the regional office of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) is also like a private house. Seven of the 14 rooms of the office are closed. In the remaining 7 rooms, even though the official work is going on, there is a hangover. The chairs, tables and sofas of the reception room are also dusty. No one at BJMC knows when the mills will be operational. According to BJMC sources, on June 25, 2020, due to continuous losses, the government decided to close 25 state-owned jute mills, including 9 in Khulna region. Then the mills were closed on July 20. Since then, 9 state-owned jute mills in Khulna region have been closed for two and a half years. 5 thousand 83 looms of the mills have been destroyed due to careless neglect during this long time. According to BJMC sources, the current market value of these looms is around Rs 1,000 crore. Besides, the total land of the mills is 550 acres. Most of this huge land is lying unused. According to sources, 9 state-owned jute mills are closed but the government is spending billions of rupees every year for the mills. At present 1 thousand 43 officers and employees are working in 9 jute mills. From the closing of the mills on July 20, 2020 to December 2021, the government has spent Tk 65 crore 84 lakh on salaries of officials and employees. As such, in the last two and a half years, about 110 crore rupees have been spent on salaries of officials and employees. Besides, 229 security guards and 98 Ansars of BJMC are engaged in the security of the mills. Several crores of rupees have been spent on them every year. Meanwhile, 4 crore 50 lakh 36 thousand rupees have been spent on electricity bills in the one and a half years till December 2021 after the shutdown. Maintenance of machinery of the mills and other incidental expenses have not yet been debited to the books of BJMC. He was a worker in the weaving department of Crescent Jute Mill’s No. 3 unit. Ibrahim He said, “After the closure of the mill, my family is spending half-starved days. Sohrab Hossain, convenor of Bangladesh State Jute Mills CBA-Non CBA Oikya Parishad, said, “During the shutdown, the government promised that the mills would be re-opened within three months by renovating the machinery of the mills (BMRE). After almost three years the mills were not started. Many workers are yet to receive their full dues. Savings certificates for many permanent workers have not yet been implemented. The cases filed by the mill authorities against many workers were also not withdrawn. Many workers are still spending half-starved days. He further said, “The government should start the mills on the basis of regular daily wages by renovating the machinery immediately. An employee working in Khulna regional office of BJMC said on condition of anonymity that before the closure of the mills Daulatpur and Khalishpur jute mills were running in the private sector. There was no loss in those two mills then. The government can run the mills in Khulna region through the private sector if it wants. In this, the government will not have to count the losses, and the workers will also be able to survive after eating. Golam Rabbani, regional coordinator (liaison officer) of Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC) said, “Initiatives have been taken to reopen the closed mills in the private sector. Several tenders have also been floated for leasing. They are currently under scrutiny. After these works are completed, there is a possibility of opening a few mills.