Two workers in the sugar manufacturing industry in Bangladesh died in February 2004 following heart attacks after the government decided to close down seven state-run sugar mills. The workers were anxious about their future after news broke out about the closure of mills in Rajshahi, Joypurhat and Rangpur. Sugar mill workers declared non-stop protests after the decision to close down the mills was made known. They organised meetings, processions, campaigns and agitated within and outside the mills. On 6 February 2004 Abdur Rahman, a worker of Rangpur sugar mill, died after a heart attack. A fortnight later, Jeasin Ali, another worker also succumbed.

After the government announced that the Rangpur Sugar Mill will stop functioning from 31 March 2004, the workers formed a committee to launch an agitation seeking withdrawal of the government’s decision. Before the announcement of closure, the government had declared lay-off. The sugarcane peasants’ associations also joined the protests. The unions of 16 sugar mills declared a strike on 29 February.  Police canecharged workers demonstrating against the closure of sugar mills and arrested 14 striking workers, including a leader of the Joypurhat sugar mill workers.

The government cited the crisis in sugarcane supply and losses in its decision to close down the mills. But the reality was different. There was no initiative by the government in the first place to increase production of sugarcane. The government wanted to privatise the mills by saying they were making losses and there was no other alternative. The workers blame the government for the burden of unplanned loans and its excessive interest, which affected the mills. The government’s sugar import policy was also responsible for the losses. Also when the government stopped paying proper prices for the sugarcane, the farmers lost their interest in its cultivation. The government did not stop the farmers when they began growing other crops in sugarcane fields though laws prohibit the practice. Driven to the wall, the workers hope the mills will not be closed down. They do not want any more Rahmans and Alis in their middle.