Workers' rally demands reopening of 26 jute mills in Khulna

The jute mill workers in Khulna staged a rally on Friday afternoon, demanding the reopening of 26 state-owned jute mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC). 

The gathering took place at Crescent Gate in Khalishpur at 3:30 PM, organized by the Khulna-Jashore Regional Committee.

During the rally, worker leaders accused the former government of pushing laborers into hardship by shutting down the mills. They criticized the closure of all state-owned jute mills in Khulna, Chattogram and Dhaka regions on July 1, 2020, citing losses as the reason. Despite promises by the then-government to restart operations within six months, the mills remain closed over four years later, leaving thousands of workers jobless.

The speakers alleged that retrenched workers were not paid their full dues and many are still owed money by the mill authorities. Families of the laid-off workers face extreme financial hardship with many struggling for basic necessities. They accused the Hasina administration of betraying workers and destroying national resources for personal gain, calling for accountability and justice for their actions.

The labor leaders called on the interim government to urgently reopen the 26 jute mills under BJMC control. They emphasized that immediate action is essential to restore employment and stability to the region.