Jute mills

By MA Behrouze Ispahani Chairman, BJMA
30 July 2005, 18:00 PM
Our Association is surprised to read the news published in your daily on 30-06-2005 regarding the statement in the JS on 29.06.2005 by Mr Shajahan Siraj, the Minister for Textiles and Jute. The Minister said that there are 119 jute mills in the country, possibly he forgot to mention the 13 mills producing diversified items of jute goods which are Members of our Association and hold licences from the Directorate of Jute, under the Ministry. The statistical statements submitted by the Association to the Ministry bear the testimony to the number of total mills operating in the country.

The Hon'ble Minister also said that only two mills under BJMC are closed; he possibly mentioned those two mills because these two mills are listed for Privatisation and forgot to mention that out of the 22 mills under the BJMC, only eight mills are now in operation and other 14 mills are out of operation. These mills blow whistles, workers come & register their presence but there is no production at all. This is well known to the people, because (i) News on this has been published in all dailies during the last six months and (ii) Mill workers called "Hartal" led by MPs in Khulna protesting the closure of the mills; (iii) Meeting of mill workers in "Muktangon" in Dhaka and submission of Memorandum to the Speaker against the closure of the mills in Khulna area and (iv) Publication of statements in newspapers by other political parties/leaders, protesting the closure of BJMC mills.

Now, how the JS could be told by the Hon'ble Minister that only two mills under BJMC are closed?