Authorities of Rajshahi Textiles Mills (RTM) have selected 70 regular labourers, who have completed 15 years of services, for a 'forced golden handshake'.

The list prepared by the RTM authorities identified only five labourers as 'sick' and the rest as 'aged'.

Meanwhile, 11-Party leader Fazle Hossain Badsha, who was defeated in the just held Rajshahi City Corporation mayoral polls, told local journalists Tuesday night here that the authorities are trying to axe the workers on political ground.

"As most labourers of the factory campaigned for me during the polls, the ruling party is now forcing them to face golden handshake in retaliation", he alleged.

Talking to The Daily Star, Abdul Hannan, General Manager of the RTM, denying the allegation said the list was prepared on April 27 following a order of BTMC (Bangladesh Textile Mills' Corporation) to slash the mill's manpower by at least 30 per cent.

Earlier in January this year, the BTMC had asked the mill to offer golden handshake to workers who were willing to go on retirement, Hannan said.

"Accordingly we served notices on the labourers, but only one of the 537 labourers of the mill responded positively", he said. The BTMC in a reminder on April 23 sought an explanation for such a poor response. And we prepared the list of 70 people, he added.

The authorities also formed a four-member committee headed by the mill's Assistant Manager Emran Ali to examine the ability to work of the 70 labourers. The committee was asked to submit its report by May 4.

Tahera, a 45-year-old labourer who is on the list, said, "They (authorities) told me you are no more fit for work as you are now old."

When asked what would be the mill's course of action if any of the selected labourers refuses to go by golden handshake decision, the RTM GM Abdul Hannan said, "We will try to convince them."