20 October 2020, Tue, 4:27

Police attacks the demonstration of the Jute mill workers; Secretary General condemns

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Secretary General and former lawmaker Professor Mia Golam Porwar has issued the following statement on 20 October 2020 protesting and condemning the police’s attack against the agitating jute mill labors and workers who have been continuing movement for last couple of days to press their 14 points demands including the reopening of 25 closed state-owned jute mills and factories.

“The agitating jute mill labors and workers were staging a peaceful demonstration. But suddenly police forces baton charged against them and threw tear shell to disperse the gathering. Police’s aggressive actions left at least 20 workers injured. I am condemning the such violent attack of the police forces.

It should be mentioned that the workers and staffs of the Eastern Jute mills were gathered to hold a demonstration this morning to press home their 14 points demands including reopening of 25 state-owned jute mills and factories, modernizing factories and to pay all the dues of the retired, on-duty, transferred and temporary staffs. But police appeared in the scene and tried to disperse the agitators which cause clashes between the two sides. At one point, police charged batons against them and threw tear shells which left at least 20 men injured. Critically injured labors have taken to the hospitals. I am condemning and protesting such attack of the policemen.

The workers and staffs of the closed state-owned mills and factories are leading terrible lives. People are already in deep crisis due to adverse impact of coronavirus. Moreover, government is closing one after one state-owned factories which have deepened the crises. The labor communities allege that, the factories are facing losses due to wrong policies of the government and BJMC and the corruptions of the high officials. But the authorities are trying to impose all the liabilities upon the labors and workers, which is not justified.

I am urging the concerned authorities to pay all the due payments of the helpless labor and workers of the state-owned jute mills and also to ensure proper treatment of the injured agitators.