Joypurhat Correspondent:

Sugar mill workers and employees have held a protest march and sit-in program, raising various demands including the introduction of closed increments, arrears of salaries, increments and dearness allowance for sugarcane development assistants (CDAs), and allegations of arbitrariness against the managing director of Joypurhat sugar mill. They have given a 48-hour ultimatum to resolve these problems.

The protest was held in front of the sugar mill's administrative building at around 9 am on Saturday (August 30). Later, a procession went around the mill area through the administrative premises and ended in front of the main gate of the mill. Later, the workers and employees held a short rally there.

The protesting workers and employees said that the permanent workers and employees of the sugar mill have not been paid their salaries for the month of July this year. There is no guarantee whether the salaries for this month of August will also be paid. Although CDA increments have been given in 8 sugar mills in the country, the employees of Joypurhat sugar mill have not been given increments. In addition, the workers have not been included in the list for paying dearness allowance.

Sugar mill workers and employees staged a protest march in the morning demanding these demands. The office was not allowed to be unlocked so that the officials could not work. In addition, administrative officials were not allowed to leave the guest house.

At that time, they expressed their regret at the sugar mill's managing director Mohammad Khabir Uddin Mollah, alleging that he was arbitrarily and misbehaving with the workers by claiming to be the owner of the sugar mill.

The rally, chaired by Ali Akhtar, president of the Joypurhat Sugar Mill Workers' and Employees' Union, was addressed by Jayed Hossain, general secretary of the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation Workers' and Employees' Federation, Anisur Rahman, publicity secretary of the Joypurhat Sugar Mill Workers' and Employees' Union, Khairul Islam, CDA of Joypurhat Sugar Mill, and Mozammel Haque, mechanic of the factory department, among others.

Ali Akhtar, president of the workers' union of Joypurhat Sugar Mill, said, "It was decided in the board meeting that the CDA increment of all mills has been stopped in July. Later, CDA increments were given to 8 mills. But we were not given it. If the CDA increment is not given, the employees will not go to work. In addition, the workers were not kept in the dearness allowance of the Wage Commission. We demand that the workers be given dearness allowance."

Zayed Hossain, general secretary of the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation Workers' Federation and Joypurhat Sugar Mill Workers' Union, said, "Our demands must be resolved within 48 hours. If the demands are not accepted within this time, we will declare a major movement."

Denying these allegations, Mohammad Khabir Uddin Molya, managing director of Joypurhat Sugar Mill, said, "I was not informed in advance about the protests that took place regarding the demands of the workers and employees. They did not inform me in writing or verbally. No office officials were able to enter the office. Because they took the keys from the peon." I have informed the SP and DC about the matter. We can work together to develop the mill.