Jute mill workers passing hard days

Fourkan Ali
KHULNA, Apr 29: The workers of the Nationalized jute mills don''t get wages for the last 5/6 months even though they work regularly. Moreover they are not getting the exempted PF (Provident Fund) money. Those who have retired or have been fired, their dues have not been cleared. For this reason the workers many a times came on movements and sacrificed their lives.
Govt. has gone over few agreements but there has not been any permanent solution. New has been in Print and Electronic media that present Govt. has closed 4 Jute Mills out of 22 Nationalized Jute Mills and the rest 18 Jute mills are decided to run. It was mentioned that People''s Jute Mills of Khulna, Koymi Jute Mills of Sirajganj, Karnaphuli and Forat Jute Jute Mills of Chittagong will be shut down and the employees and workers will be paid their dues by Golden Handshake. And for the rest 18 Jute Mills Tk. 200 crores will be allotted. But there was not anything clear about the payment of retired employees'' and workers'' PF and Gratuity.
Besides, only purchasing cannot run a mill raw-jute. Wage of the workers, Machinery parts, oil, Mobil, electricity etc are also needed. Shutting down mills is like suicide to workers. The workers are in movement for keeping the mill running for long days. They have gone for strike, hunger strike, encirclement, coffin procession, procession with plates and bowls, possession wearing the coffin dress even procession. But the law enforcement authority is breaking laws. They are not taking action against BJMC rather they are harassing the innocent workers. Thus as a result unexpected event like friction is occurring with the starving workers with police. But a few times with the help of law enforcing authority, the workers were paid some portion of salary or wage. Everybody knows that the Labor union of the Jute mills is not inspired by any political principles. They are active to achieve the solutions of their problems. But sorrowful even though this is true that the Caretaker Govt. ahas been active to arrest corrupted people but not effective steps to run the jute mills. In the last moment, some dues were paid to the workers by making an agreement but no more in the last 6 months. More specifically the 30 thousand workers of the 8 Nationalized Jute mills of Khulna city are passing days by staving or half-eating. A few private organizations offered relief to the workers, which is very negligible upon requirement. But a lot of money of is due to Govt. of these workers who are taking this relief. The workers have lost their energy and strength to go over procession.
Thus why 4 if all the jute mills are closed simultaneously, they probably they will not go for procession. The decided closed 4 Jute mills and other 18 running mills, the pays and dues of the workers should be paid immediately. In a phrase better to die once rather dying being alive. If better govt. can go for privatization. Probably the Nationalization principle will not work here. So, privatization policy should be accepted to save this sector.

Diarrhoea, pox break out

Saline sells at high price

Our Correspondent
BAGERHAT, Apr 29: Diarrhoea and pox breaks out in the current season. Women and children are the worst sufferer of the diseases.
Visiting Bagerhat Sadar Hospital this correspondent found Diarriahoea ward is fully packed up, the majorities of them are the children and women. One of the family member of a patient said,'' the treatment quality is not good, a child of 7 days has been died in drug reaction. We are not confident to the nurses and the doctors as they are not found timely."
On the other hand both urban and rural areas chicken pox epidemically breaks out. Visiting the rural area this correspondent found they are not taking proper medical treatment rather.
A patient of chicken pox Ranu Begum said,''''she is a sufferer of pox, her husband and child has cured recently, they need not need the medical treatment as it is not available for the poor like her."
A doctor of Bagerhat sader hospital Abul Kalam Azad said '''' scorching heat and lack of pure drinking water have caused this diseases mainly."
A patient of diarriahoea said branded oral saline are not available in the market so they have to buy saline at high price.

World Malaria Day observed

Our Correspondent
RANGAMATI, Apr 29: With a vow newly not let anybody die with malaria, the World Malaria Day was observed in Rangamati amid holding of seminar, rally and press conference.
Chairman of CHT Regional Council and chief of Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma widely know as Santu Larma alleged that the life and livelihood of the people in CHT are still not in safe.
Santu Larma said this yesterday while addressing a seminar on World Malaria Day held at the auditorium of Rangamati Tribal Culture Institute as the chief guest.
The seminar titled "Counting malaria out" organised by directorate of health and Brac with support from Global Fund.
''The indigenous people in CHT are passing their days amid severe insecurity for long time under undeclared military rules, Santu said, adding, that restoration of democracy has not happened in the hills.
He said the ethnic people are being suppressed and tortured as their fundamental rights still haven''t established.
He called upon the officials concerned to involve the indigenous people with the all development programs to make easy the implementation process.
As the malaria is the major health problem, speakers at the seminar said malaria can be eradicated amid making aware the mass people and their active participation in the malaria control program must be ensured.
They laid emphasised on the involvement of all section of people in the society with the on going health programs to protect the human lives from all the deadly diseases.
In the past, many people were died with malaria in the hills, however, number of death of malaria patients have been remarkably reduced for the last couples of years, they pointed out.
They said malaria now has become a big threat for public health. Three hill districts of Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari of CHT are most malaria prone areas. Number of malaria patients are double in hard to reach areas in different hilly areas as the government non-government health service workers can''t reach in that areas.
In a joint venture, health department and Brac is being implemented a malaria control program in CHT along with the others ten districts. Under the program, insecticide-treated mosquito nets are being distributed to poor people and health service provided in free of cost.
The participants also underscored the need for collaborative efforts by the all concerned departments which working on malaria controlling programmes to combat with malaria in CHT.
In Bangladesh, a total of 3,858 patients were died with seri viral malaria since from 2000 to March-2009, a report of health department was disclosed yesterday.
Though, number of the patients have been increased but number of died have been declined, report said.
Sheikh Altaf Ali, secretary of health and family planning ministry, ABM Jahangir Alam, director of primary health care, Farukh Ahmed, director, health program, Brac, deputy commissioner Sourendra Nath Chakrabarty and district civil surgeon Md. Abdullah addressed the function as the special guests.
Jagat Jyoti Chakma, chairman of Rangamati Hill District Council, chaired the seminar.

Admn concerned at rising drug trade

NARAYANGANJ, Apr 29: Highly concerned at rising drug trade in the district, deputy commissioner Shamsur Rahman today asked the police to take effective steps to check inroad of drug that are spoiling the young generation and contributing to deteriorating law and order situation, reports UNB.
The DC in a letter to the Police Super said the drug trade in the town and the district as a whole has assumed a dangerous level.
Grave concern at the rise of drug trade was also expressed at the district law and order committee meeting on April 27 when the local MPs pointed to the negligence of the law enforcers to check the situation.
The deputy commissioner has asked the police to take effective measures before the situation goes out of control.
Informed sources said heroin, phensidyl, hemp smuggled from across the border are openly traded in all the slum areas of the town besides Baburail, Deovogh, and in identified corners of most of the bazars.
A section of law enforcers gets tolls to keep their eyes shut to drug trade. Social leaders do not dare to oppose the drug dealers and users for fear of reprisal.

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