In 2020, the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation announced the closure of 25 state-owned jute mills, promising upgrades and a restart within three months. Nearly four years later, these mills remain shuttered, with most now leased to private companies with little experience in the jute sector.

Due to lack of maintenance, the once-vibrant mill compounds now appear to be haunted places with weeds and vines growing all over

At a time when the demand for jute products in the world is increasing, and new private jute mills are being established, government workers are being handed over to the private mills.

Workers of state-owned jute mills will get their arrear wages ahead of the Eid, thanks to an allocation of Tk 169.14 crore by the government.

Workers of state-owned jute mills in different districts enforced a 96-hour work abstention since 8:00am yesterday to press home their nine-point demand, which includes payment of outstanding wages.

Workers of different state-owned jute mills yesterday were on their second consecutive day of work abstention in Chattogram and Khulna to press home their nine-point demand, including payment of their arrears.

Several thousand workers of nine state-run jute mills took to the streets in Khulna and Jashore yesterday, demanding payment of arrears, removal of corrupt officials from the mills and implementation of an already proposed wage commission.

Before the growth of the textile industry, jute was once the main cash crop of Bangladesh as it was the only exportable product in the country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the finance ministry to allocate Tk 1,000 crore to the textiles and jute ministry for arrear salaries and wages of jute mill workers and modernisation of the state-owned jute mills to make them profitable.

The government has allocated Tk 1,000 crore to buy jute and clear the dues of the workers of state-run jute mills amid an ongoing strike and agitation in Khulna.