The strike of tea workers is going on all over the country for various demands, including increasing the daily wage to Tk 300 in line with the current market price. The Bangladesh Tea Workers Union has called for an indefinite strike in all tea gardens across the country from today Saturday.
Earlier, the workers of 231 tea gardens of the country including Chittagong, Sylhet observed a two-hour strike for four consecutive days from last Tuesday to Friday, demanding that the daily wage be increased from Tk 120 to Tk 300 . When the demand was not met, the acting general secretary of the union, Nirpen Pal, simultaneously announced the strike to demand an increase in wages in 167 tea gardens of the country.
The leaders of the tea workers said that there should be an agreement to increase the wages of the tea workers every two years. At present, the duration of the wage agreement is about 19 months. Various organizations including the leaders of the tea workers union have demanded an increase in wages, but the concerned parties are not paying any heed to it. As a result, on the initiative of the Central and various Valley Committees of the Tea Workers Union, a two-hour strike and protest rally was held in the tea gardens for the past few days.
Bangladesh Tea Workers Union Manu-Dali Valley Committee General Secretary Nirmal Das Painka said, We have been giving written demands on 120 points including Tk 300 wages, health and sanitation facilities. However, due to the owner’s refusal to accept this demand, no effective initiative was observed despite repeated talks with the concerned parties including the wage board.
Meanwhile, Srimangalastha Divisional Labor Department held a conciliation meeting last Thursday afternoon with the labor leaders agitating for a daily wage of Tk 300 for tea workers. Bangladesh Tea Workers Union announced not to suspend the movement as the owners were not present at the conciliation meeting.
Acting General Secretary of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union Nripen Pal expressed his anger and said that if the stomach is empty, people go beyond the law if necessary. We are protesting there according to the law. Although we discussed with the owner for almost 19 months, our demand was not accepted. The owners and the government should understand that the tea workers are in dire straits. I am forced to observe an indefinite strike from Saturday.
According to a source close to the tea workers, the tea plantation panchayat, tea workers, students and youth may protest by blocking the road in various places including Kamalganj of Moulvibazar, demanding a wage of 300 rupees. Preparations are being made for that purpose.
