Clash, attack on train mark jute mill workers’ last-day strike, blockade

Cops and a train came under attack and passengers suffered because of blockade on roads and railways on the third and concluding day of the 72-hour strike of state-owned jute mill workers and employees on Thursday.
Trains running on late schedule and road blockade caused enormous sufferings to passengers in Khulna, Narsingdi, Jashore, Chattogram and Rajshahi. 
State-owned jute mills workers enforced the strike and blockade for nine-point demands, including wage hike and payment of dues.
Bangladesh Sramik League vice-president and Carpeting Jute Mills Workers Association general secretary Nazrul Islam Farazi warned that they would go for tougher movement if the demands were not met at the meeting with Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation in Dhaka scheduled for April 6.
The demands include adequate allocation for jute sector, payment of due provident fund and gratuity to retired workers and insurance benefit to the families of deceased workers, implementation of the recommendations of the National Wage and Productivity Commission 2015, appointment of workers, regularisation of temporary workers, reappointment of sacked workers and the balancing, modernisation, rehabilitation and expansion of the jute mills for better productivity.
Thousands of workers of 26 state-owned jute mills as well as their families rallied at their respective mill gates and marched towards nearby roads and railways and blockaded those at places, including Khulna, Narsingdi, Chattogram, Rajshahi and Jashore.
Production remained suspended in the state-owned jute mills for the past three days.
The workers resumed their protests from March 31 as their demands were not met by the government despite assurance, labour leaders said. 
New Age correspondent in Khulna reports that a group of people attacked the Pabla police box on Khulna- Jashore Highway in Natun Rasta intersection under Daulatpur police station and threw bricks at police Thursday morning during the blockade and strike. The attackers vandalised the windowpanes and railing of the police box and helmets and burned a shield in the 15-minute attack.
At one stage police charged batons to disperse workers, who were picketing in the intersection, triggering a clash that injured 20 people, including four cops, United News of Bangladesh reported quoting Daulatpur police station officer-in-charge Kazi Mushtaq Ahmed. 
Bangladesh Jute Mill Sramik League Khulna-Jashore regional committee convener Md Murad Hossain said that the no worker was involved in the attack on the police box and demanded probe into the incident. 
Senior police officials visited the area during the blockade and strike, New Age correspondent in Khulna reported. 
Filing of a case was under process and none was attested in the incident of attack, Kazi Mostaq Ahmed said at about 7:00pm.
According to Bangladesh Railway, Chitra Express train on Khulna-Dhaka route and Kapotaksha Express train on Khulna-Rajshahi route were running late for over seven hours on the day. 
UNB reported that in Narsingdi, at least 20 passengers were injured as protesting workers hurled stones towards the Chattogram-bound Karnaphuli Express train at Tarua.
Earlier in the day, the workers led by Narsingdi UMC Jute Mill Workers Union president Shafiqul Hossain Mollah, took position on the rail tracks at Tarua and burned tyres at about 8:00am, said Railways Police camp in-charge Shaha Alam.
Of the injured, two were taken to Narsingdi General Hopital for treatment.
Karnaphuli Express train remained stuck there for about 35 minutes.
On information, railway police went to the spot and brought the situation under control.
Railway officials said that the locomaster of train was also injured and windows of the train were damaged.
New Age correspondent in Jashore reports that rail communications on Khulna route were halted for several hours due to the blockade at Nawapara industrial town and Khalishpur in Khulna.
Nawapara railway station master Mohsin Reza told New Age that no train ran from Khulna till noon.
Trains, including Benapole Commuter Express, intercity Kapotaksha Express and Rocket Mail ran behind the schedules due to the blockade. 
Workers of state-owned jute mills also blocked Jashore-Khulna Highway at Nawapara industrial town from 6:00am to noon.
New Age correspondent in Chattogram reported that about 8:00am the workers started to blockade the Amin Jute Mill area at Bayezid, burned tyres and chanted slogans.
Their protests caused huge traffic congestion in both side of the Oxygen-Muradpur area. Later at about 1:00am they left the place.
Bayezid Thana officer in charge Ataur Rahman said that the workers continued their protest near the mill.
Bangladesh Railway East Zone manager Borhan Uddin said that the rail connection between Dhaka and Chattogram was normal but the agitated workers did not allow any shuttle train to reach Chittagong University on Thursday from 8:00am to noon.
New Age Rajshahi University correspondent reported that over 800 workers and employees of Rajshahi Jute Mills, along with their family members, took position and blockaded the Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway and in front of the mill’s main entrance at 8:00am, causing enormous sufferings to the passengers.
Both long-route and short-distance buses had to use alternative roads running extra kilometres.
The agitated workers and employees withdrew their blockade at 12:00pm and brought out a protest procession inside the jute mill.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net