The government has taken effective measures to reopen the closed mills of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) by leasing to the private sector at the earliest.
International tenders have already been invited in this regard. Both domestic and foreign entrepreneurs will get the opportunity to take lease. In this case, foreign direct investment (FDI) will be considered a priority.
Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi said this at the monthly coordination meeting of the ministry held virtually on Wednesday. Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute Md. Abdul Mannan, Additional Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam, and heads of office and organization were also connected at the meeting online.
He said, “Jute growers are now getting a fair price for raw jute as the value and demand of jute has increased across the world. In the current jute season, the average price of raw jute has increased up to Tk 3,000 which is around 50 percent more than last year”.
“As a result, jute farmers are becoming more interested in jute cultivation this season. This is expected to further consolidate the contribution of the jute sector to the country's economy. In the first nine months (July-March) of the current fiscal year 2020-21, Bangladesh earned US$ 953.57 million by exporting jute and jute products. This is 22.94 percent more than the same period last year. And that is about 10.64 percent more than the target,” he added.
The minister also said, “The workers who have been laid off in the privately-run mills will get jobs on priority basis. At the same time, this will create new employment opportunities for the competent and skilled workers. All workers must be rehabilitated in phases”.
The minister expressed hope that the contribution of jute sector to the country’s economy would further increase due to the productivity and management strategies of private jute mills.
While talking about the arrears of the workers Golam Dastagir Gazi said, “Workers of four out of 25 mills (Jatiya, Khalispur, Daulatpur, and KFD) have been paid till August ,2020. It has been decided to repay the arrears of 34,757 retired and terminated permanent workers above Tk Two lakh by issuing half-cash and half-quarterly profit-based savings certificates. As per the decision, Tk 1,769.41 crore has been received so far from the finance department of the finance ministry for the payment of cash portion in all the 21 mills”.
It may be recalled that 25 jute mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) were declared closed on July 1, 2020 with a view to establishing a competitive environment in the jute sector.
