Farmers in Khulna and Bagerhat districts are now firm to resist saline water-based shrimp cultivation while women workers in shrimp processing plants in the districts have vowed to stop exploitation by the owners by depriving them of due wages and facility. Several thousands farmers of Khulna and Bagerhat districts recently staged protests against saline water based shrimp cultivation. Saline water causes extensive damage to fertility of cropland especially of paddy. It also harms vegetables and fruit-bearing trees. Paddy is more important than shrimp for survival of the people in general, leaders of agitating farmers told newsmen.

The agitations in most of the upazilas of Khulna and Bagerhat are getting intensified as people have joined hands with farmers to resist the harmful method of shrimp cultivation.

Three cases were recorded recently under section 15 (1) of Special Powers act, 1974 with Dakop Police Station of Khulna district accusing a few owners of damaging fertility of paddy fields by using saline water.

According to police, the situation is taking an alarming turn in many places of Khulna as pro-agitation groups and the workers of shrimp firms clashed over the issue of shrimp cultivation.

“This shrimp cultivation method has adverse impact not only on crop land, fruit-bearing trees and green vegetables but also on overall environment, said convenor of Khulna Nagorik Parishad Mahanada Sarker.

He demanded urgent government steps to ensure environment-friendly shrimp cultivation to stop further damage to the farmlands.

Meanwhile, women workers in 33 shrimp processing plants in the two districts have demanded minimum wages and urged the government to take measures to stop repression on them by the owners.

Over 30,000 women, now working in these shrimp processing plants, alleged that they do not get proper pay although they work for over 12 hours a day.

“We are not issued any appointment letters and even identity cards,” alleged Rina Begum who works at Gemini Sea Foods Ltd in Khulna.

She further said that women workers at shrimp processing plants also do not get due medicare services.

The member-secretary of Khulna Citizens’ Group Feroze Ahmed demanded declaration of minimum wages for women workers and threatened tougher agitation if this demand is not met without further delay.

Director of Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters’ Association Md Humayun Kabir said a minimum wage board for women workers at shrimp plants would be declared very soon.

He said a high level committee is already working to fix their minimum wages.

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