A year and a half ago, the government had promised to reopen the state-owned jute mills during the shutdown, but a parliamentary committee today recommended not reopening them under the government. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Estimates came up with the recommendation at a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad bhaban.

The parliamentary watchdog in its meeting opined that there is no reason for the government to waste money by reopening these jute mills. The committee today discussed various projects of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute. The government in June, 2000 decided to shut down production at 25 state-run jute mills under Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) by providing cent percent dues of some 25,000 workers.

The government showed logic that BJMC can't be viable competing with the private sector. These 25 mills can't run properly. That's why some 25,000 workers of the mills have been suffering as they are not getting salaries and dues in time.

The parliamentary committee on the Ministry of Labor and Employment had earlier recommended modernization and proper management of the jute mills. Committee members Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury, Yusuf Abdullah Harun, AB Tajul Islam, Ahsan Adelur Rahman, Wasika Ayesha Khan and Khadijatul Anwar, among others were present at the meeting.

Source: Daily Star