Khulna jute mill worker’s funeral prayer held, tension roils industrial area

The body of jute mill worker Abdus Sattar, who had died during a hunger strike in Khulna, has been sent to his home in Patuakhali after funeral prayer.

More than 200 state-owned jute mill workers in Khulna region fell sick on Friday, the fourth day of their ongoing hunger strike called for implementation of a wage commission and 10 other demands, according to leaders of protesters.
 
"The number of sick workers is increasing steadily,” said Khalilur Rahman, one of the leaders.
 
Tension prevailed at Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills in Khalishpur on Friday afternoon. Most workers were lying on the quiet site of the protest. Many were being given saline drips. Relatives were visiting them.
 
The movement of people was comparatively less in front of other mills. The atmosphere in the residential area of the workers was eerie.
 
Sattar, the 55-year old worker of hessian loom department at the Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills, met his end in the Khulna Medical College Hospital on Thursday, the third day of the hunger strike.
 
Workers from 12 of the 26 state-owned jute mills in Khulna, Rajshahi, Narsingdi and Chattogram are taking part in the hunger strike.
 
Their demands also include cancellation of public-private ownership or PPP scheme, allocation of funds for purchasing raw materials, payment of provident fund gratuity for retired workers and payment of gratuities to retired factory workers, among others.