Workers and employees of Thakurgaon Sugar Mill have staged a protest march and gone on strike to implement their three-point demands, including the permanentization of seasonal workers. They have warned of a more stringent movement, including a full-day strike, if their demands are not implemented quickly.
The program was organized by the Thakurgaon Sugar Mill Workers’ and Employees’ Union as part of the central program of the Bangladesh Sugar Industry Corporation Workers’ and Employees’ Federation from Tuesday (July 21) morning.
A protest march was taken out from morning to noon after the gate meeting at the mill’s Jamtala. The march circled various roads in the mill area and ended in front of the MD’s office.
During the rally, speakers said that for a long time, no effective steps have been taken to demand adjustment of seasonal workers to permanent posts based on their qualifications, provision of 15 percent special benefits for workers, and announcement of a new scale of the wage commission in line with the new pay scale. In the interest of increasing productivity and creating skilled manpower, the opportunity for adjustment of seasonal workers to permanent posts internally should be restored. Along with this, 15 percent special benefits and a new wage structure should be implemented for workers like government officials and employees.
The speakers also said that if the demands are not implemented, a four-hour strike on July 22 and a full-day strike on July 23, as per the announced program, will be announced along with a more stringent agitation program.
At that time, Bangladesh Sugar Industry Corporation Workers’ Federation President and Thakurgaon Sugar Mill Workers’ Union President Abdul Quddus, Thakurgaon Sugar Mill Workers’ Union General Secretary Abdullah Al Mahmud Khan Ratan, Deputy General Secretary Ruhul Amin, Vice President Lutful Kabir Manik, Finance Secretary Zakiul Islam and other leaders of the union were present.