BIRGUNJ: The government has invited the agitating staffers of Birgunj Sugar Factory and Agriculture Tools Factory to talks for the resumption of the state-owned entities.

Talking to the representatives of the struggle committee at District Administration Office Parsa today, government spokesperson and Minister for Information and Communications Shankhar Pokharel urged them to sit for talks.

Struggle committee

member Keshav Niraula

said Minister Pokharel had asked them to form a dialogue team.

Although the struggle committee called off the chakkajam along the Tribhuvan Highway, it has not withdrawn other protests. He said the employees would continue holding sit-in at the DAO for two hours every day until their demands were fulfilled.

In 2002, the government had decided to shut down the two factories, paving way for their privatisation.

The agitators claim that 264 staffers had neither got retirement nor been compensated for. Their demand includes reasonable compensation for the staffers.