Jute Mill Workers’ Fast Unto Death Agitators infecting with cold-related diseases, 450 administrated IV fluid

The state owned jute mills workers who are on fast unto death demanding pay hike and dues are being infected with cold related diseases while at least 450 of them were administrated intravenous saline as they fell sick on the demonstration grounds on Friday, the fourth straight day.

The body of 55-year-old Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills’s worker Abdus Sattar was taken to his village home at Titkata in Patuakhali after his namaj-e-janaza on the agitation ground his Khulna mill gate on Friday morning while labour leaders, in tears, bade farewell to him terming him to be a martyr for the cause of jute Sector.

They vowed to continue movement and realise their demands.

Sattar was buried in his family graveyard Friday evening at his village home. He died after falling sick at the agitation ground at Khalishpur industrial belt.

Leaders of different left-leaning organisations on Friday went to the demonstration ground in Khulna to express their solidarity with the demonstrators while leaders of the Nagarik Oikya, Bangladesh Trade Union Centre and Left Democratic Alliance staged demonstration in Dhaka and Socialist Party of Bangladesh staged demonstration in Barishal demanding government’s immediate steps to meet the worker’s demands to stop unusual death of workers at their workplaces.

In Khulna, two of Star Jute Mills and one of Platinum Jute Mills workers were admitted to Khulna Medical Collage Hospital, while five were admitted to several private clinics and about 450 workers were administrated intravenous saline under their tents on BIDC Road until 5:00pm on Friday, said CBA-non CBA Sangram Parishad member secretary of Khulna Jashore region Shahana Sharmin.

She said at least 50 workers were so far admitted to KMCH, Phultala Upazila Health Complex and other private clinics on the fourth days of their fast unto death while some of them left hospitals and again joined their demonstration.

The agitators said Jumma prayers on the demonstration ground and the leaders of Ganosamhati Andolan and United Communist League joined the agitators and expressed their solidarity with them.

Ganosamhati Andolan chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki alleged said environment-harming plastic industries were being established everywhere in Bangladesh, and at the same time environment-friendly jute industries were rising in the deferent countries of the world but Bangladesh government was trying to destroy the jute mills through conspiracy.

He said the corrupt officials of the BJMC and jute and textile ministry were responsible for the present situation of the jute sector. Jute was being bought during off-season by hiking cost for which not only jute mills but also farmers were facing losses and the middlemen were benefited.

The fast unto death was being observed at Rajshshi Jute Mills in Rajshshi, Amin Jute Mills in Chattogram and UMC Jute Mills in Sirajganj on Friday, reports received from Rajshhsi, Chattogram and Sirajganj said.

The labourers of most of the state-owned jute mills, stopping production, began fast unto death in front of their respective mill gates bereaving cold on December 10 to press their 11-point demand under the banner of CBA-Non-CBA Sangram Parishad.

The workers’ demands include implementation of the National Wage and Productivity Commission Award 2015, payment of all arrear weekly wages, adequate budgetary allocation for the jute sector and buying adequate jute on season, payment of the outstanding provident fund and gratuity to retired workers and settlement of insurance benefits to the families of the deceased workers.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net