Jute has always had a sentimental attachment with the general psyche of Bangladeshis. Jute used to account for a significant amount of exports even in the early seventies. But in recent times the fiber has lost quite a bit of its luster, especially since the present government closed the Adamjee Jute Mills in 2003 following the prescription of the IMF-World Bank and the donors. The Khulna-Jessore, once a busy industrial belt for jute, has lost its glory with seven out of eight state-owned jute mills remaining idle for want of cash to buy raw jute and keep the wheels on. The lone mill that still continues its production defying all odds is the Crescent Jute Mills. Workers and employees are passing their days in utter hardship as the cash-stripped public sector mills are unable to pay them for several months. According to the industry sources, there are about 19,000 regular labourers while about 6,000 are working on temporary basis in the eight mills in the region. The temporary workers are on 'no work, no pay' basis. The Eastern Jute Mills tops the list with unpaid wages accumulating for 33 weeks, followed by the Alim Jute Mills with 30 weeks' dues, the People's and the Star with 19 weeks each, the Platinum Jubilee 18 weeks and the Crescent seven weeks in the Khulna district. The Jessore Jute Mills did not make any payoff for 17 weeks and the Carpeting Jute Mills in Noapara for 29 weeks, the sources added. The chronic neglect of the jute sector which has for decades been a major and durable element of the country's industrialization and a major employer was bound to lead to serious imbalances in economic life. The mill was closed and this happened at a time when demand for natural fiber in world market was rising and research was pointing to vast possibilities of newer uses of the golden fiber. AJM was making losses only due to managerial problems. It is ridiculous to think that an elected government cannot cope with management problems of a mill or deal with some wayward union leaders. It is perhaps no coincidence that just after the mill was closed a number of jute mills in a neighboring country was opened or renovated.
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Munem Wasif
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