Some 40% of state-owned jute mill workers have yet to collect their due payment from banks – as the specified ATM booths have run out of money in Khulna.
The jute mill workers gathered near the ATM booths of the Social Islami Bank Limited (SIBL) branch in Khulna Sadar Upazila to collect their dues on Friday morning.
Workers found that the booths contained no cash as they swiped their cards. They then demonstrated near the ATM booths, protesting the lack of cash available there.
Jute mill worker leader Murad Hossain said: “The ATM booths of SIBL and Eastern Bank ran out of cash in the morning. As a result, the workers were unable to collect their payments.”
Another worker, A Mannan said: “We travelled to the city to collect our money from the ATM booths here, as there was no money left in the mill’s booth. However, there is no money left here either.
“The bank authorities told us that we will not be able to collect our payments till Saturday.”
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Crescent Jute Mills Company project head Boniz Uddin Mia said he talked to the bank about ATM booths having run out of money. They said they will restock the ATM booths on Saturday morning.
Therefore, he has requested the workers to remain patient until then.
Operations Officer of SIBL Khulna branch, Nurul Imam Khan Mithu said: “The carrying capacity of each booth is Tk25 lakh while workers have been allocated with a total of around Tk50 crore, which is beyond the capacity of the booths.
“There is no rule regarding restocking ATMs on Friday as banks remain closed on weekends. Workers will be able to collect their money from 13 booths on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, many workers of the Platinum and Crescent jute mills have not yet received their checks for payment.
The government allocated funds to the nine state-owned jute mills in Khulna and Jessore that only included the arrears and Eid bonuses of its workers and employees but not its officials.
The Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC) sent Tk44,10,75,000, through pay orders, to the business accounts of the jute mills on Wednesday.
The funds were to be transferred to personal accounts of the workers and employees by Thursday.
Jute mill workers have been protesting, since March 13, to press home their nine-point demand, which includes: their salaries and allowances be paid, the wage commission be implemented, sufficient funds be allocated for the jute sector, sacked workers be reappointed, and appointments be made permanent.
