Workers at 25 state-owned jute mills will be informed in the next three days about their golden handshake payout, said Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi.
The minister said this at a press conference in Dhaka on Friday, a day after the formal announcement of the closure of jute mills operated under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC).
He said many are in confusion about the matter now and that is not unusual.
A list of the workers will be prepared in three days and they will also be informed at the same time about their respective monetary payouts, Dastagir said.
The workers will be compensated with all facilities including gratuity and retirement benefits in line with the national wage structure of 2015, he said, adding that they will not be deceived.
Half of the compensation will be given in cash and the other half in the form of savings certificates, he continued.
The minister said that the decision to close the mills with a golden handshake policy was made one year ago.
"It was getting tough for us to incur the recurring losses in the sector. To revive the economy, we discussed the matter with the prime minister about how to develop those [ state-owned jute mills].
"These factories cannot survive with the old technology. They are incurring losses month after month. However, the prime minister said our workers are not responsible for the losses," he added.
On Thursday, the government decided to shut down production at 25 state-owned jute mills giving 100% of their dues to some 25,000 workers of the mills.
The decision came at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at Ganabhaban in Dhaka.
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr Ahmed Kaikaus, made the announcement before the media at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) later in the day.
"Our BJMC cannot be viable competing with the private sector. These 25 mills cannot run properly. So, some 25,000 workers of the mills have been suffering, not getting their salaries and dues in time ... So, the prime minister announced the shutdown of production at the state-run jute mills," Kaikaus said, briefing the media at the PM office.
He said 100% in dues to jute mill workers would be given in the quickest possible time and would require Tk5,000 crore.
The 25 mills will be reopened with refurbished modern technologies under arrangements like, PPP, G2G, joint venture or lease models, Kaikaus added.