Barak Bandh on 22 Nov for revival of paper mills

November 20: HPC Paper Mills Revival Action Committee has given a call for 12-hour Barak Bandh on 22 November. Manabendra Chakraborty, Chief Convenor of the Revival Committee said that both the central and the state government has made a bouquet of promises to revive the two paper mills of Assam. But since then much water has flowed through Brahmaputra and Barak, but in reality nothing concrete has happened. He said that it has now become clear that the government is not at all sincere in revival of the mills.

Mr. Chakraborty highlighted the miserable plight of the employees of the mill who are leading their lives in utmost distress. He clarified that at this stage their remains no other democratic option of protest but to convene a bandh. It is in this backdrop that the committee has called for Barak bandh in demand of revival of the paper mills at Nagaon and Panchgram on 22 November. He further appealed to all sections of the populace to make this bandh a success. A rally will be taken out in this regard on the day of the bandh at 3.30 PM. The rally will orginate from near the statue of Khudiram and end near the Chittaranjan statue.

Speaking during the press meet on Tuesday, others also lamented on the matter that just for an amount of 90 lakh, the employees of the mill were thrown into the mouth of hell. They further said that during ‘Namami Barak’, state Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal assured that the problem of paper mill was his own problem and he will take immediate action so that the mill is revived. However, it was pointed out that, since then, one year has elapsed, but the Chief Minister till now has not taken any step and has rather broken his promise.

Addressing the media, the Action Committee also informed that on the day of the of the bandh, that is, 22 November rallies will be taken out in various places of the valley, such as, Silchar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Kalain, Vadarpur, Panchgram, Gumra Bazar etc. The 12-hour bandh has received support from the Congress, Jamiat, SUCI, CTVOA and a host of other organisations.

Apart from Manabendra Chakraborty, also present in the Press Meet were Kishore Bhattacharjee, Sarifujjaman Laskar, Samiran Acharjee, Baharul Islam Barbhuiya and others.