Mass hunger strike held, hartal in Gaibandha Tuesday

A 'mass hunger strike' demanding reopening of Rangpur Sugar Mills was organised jointly by the Sugar Mills Workers' Union and the District Workers and Employees Federation at Gaibandha Shaheed Minar on Thursday. PHOTO: STAR

The five-hour token hunger strike was organised jointly by the District Workers and Employees Federation and Bangladesh Sugar Mills Workers Union.

It was followed by a rally, where speakers called upon the people to make the earlier announced April 20 hartal in the district a success to press the government to withdraw the lay-off of the mill.

The government laid off the mill on March 31 on the plea of recurring loss.

Leaders of Awami League (AL), Workers Party, 11-Party Alliance, Communist Party, Gono Forum, National Awami Party (NAP) joined the mass hunger strike and extended their support to the programmes for reopening of the mill.

The rally, presided over by Habibul Hossain, president of the district Workers and Employees Federation, was addressed by Gaibandga AL President Mohammad Khaled, 11-Party Alliance Convenor Mihir Ghosh, Workers Party Secretary Aminul Islam Golap, NAP President Lutfar Rahman Ranju, CPB central leader Wasiur Rahman Rafel, Bangladesher Samajtantric Dal (BSD) leader Mosadek Hossain Bulbul, Transport Workers Union leader Mahbubur Rahman, Rangpur Sugar Mills Workers Union President Abdul Matin and Jatiya Sanajtantric Dal (JSD) leader Ziaul Huq Jhony.

They bitterly cricised the government for declaring the mill laid-off. This government is closing down mills one after another without creating employment opportunities, they said.

The Rangpur sugar mill incurred losses due to wrong policy, not because of workers and employees.

The mill authorities took a huge amount of loan from the Word Bank and spent it on unproductive heads. The mill incurred losses as it had to bear an annual interest of around Tk three crore on the loans, they said.

By closing down the mill, the government has compelled the workers and employees to go for agitation. The government alone will be responsible for any situation if the mill is not reopened, they said.

Meanwhile, people in Mohimaganj continued to keep black flags hoisted atop houses, shops and private offices protesting the lay-off of the mill.