Over 2000 workers and employees of privately owned Mohsin Jute Mills at Shiromoni industrial belt have been laid off for 45 days with effect from Saturday.
General Manager of the mill Anwarul Mumin said in the layoff notice that higher production cost, severe crisis of raw material and sharp fall in demand of its products in international markets are the reasons for closing the mill till August 2.
The workers and employees have been laid off as per provision in the labour law as the jute mill has turned into a losing concern”, Anwar told this correspondent.
Meanwhile, hundreds of workers assembled around the mill from 8:00 am yesterday to protest against the layoff notice.
CBA president of the mill Sultan Molla, while addressing a protest rally there, blamed the management for creating financial crisis intentionally.
He said that management of the mill took Tk two crore and 70 lakh as loan from Sonali Bank two months ago for purchasing raw jute.
But the mill has been closed in a pre-planned way instead of purchasing raw jute, the CBA leader alleged.
“We shall go for tougher agitation demanding reopening of the mill. Our programmes will include road and rail blockade, call for indefinite strike in all jute mills of Khulna-Jessore industrial belt, fast-unto-death and self- immolation, he said.
The president of Khulna city unit of Bangladesh Sramik Kalyan Federation Khan Golam Rasul issued a press statement yesterday condemning 'double standard' of the government in resolving the crisis prevailing in the Khulna-Jessore industrial belt.
State owned Khulna Newsprint Mill, Daulatpur Jute Mill, People's Jute Mill, Khulna Textile Mill, private owned Afil Jute Mill and Dada Match Factory have remained closed throwing nearly two lakh workers and employees out of jobs, he said.
The poor jobless workers are getting nothing but lip service from government in the name of reopening these industries, he added.
Four platoons of police were deployed in and around the laid off Mohsin Jute Mill since Saturday night to maintain law and order.