Tea workers in Sylhet protest to demand their overdue wages

Hundreds of tea workers took to the streets of Sylhet on Friday, November 15, to demand immediate payment of unpaid wages and rations.

Organized by the Sylhet district branch of the Central Trade Union of Bangladesh, the protest march highlighted the grave financial and humanitarian crisis faced by thousands of tea plantation workers in the region.

Abul Kalam Azad, acting president of Sylhet District Union Centre, presided over the rally.

The speakers urged the government and tea plantation authorities to quickly resolve the crisis and ensure the fundamental rights of tea workers. “Our fight is not just for wages, it is for survival and dignity,” said a union leader.

The march, which began at 2 p.m. from the Keane Bridge premises and continued through Zindabazar, called for urgent government intervention to alleviate the plight of around 12,000 workers of 12 tea estates run by the National Tea Company (NTC).

The workers said they had been deprived of wages and rations for almost three months, pushing their families to the brink of despair. Despite submitting memoranda to the government and organizing a 26-day continuous strike, they say no action has been taken.

Protesters have warned that more than 40,000 to 50,000 people, including tea workers and their families, now face starvation.

“At a time when the cost of living is soaring, we are denied even the meager daily wage of Tk 178.50. How can we survive?” » asked a demonstrator.

Protesters also criticized widespread neglect of the tea industry, highlighting issues such as delayed salaries, irregular rations and non-payment of provident fund dues in state-owned tea estates. and private. They further accused landowners of exploiting workers through discriminatory wage practices and unfair distribution of festival bonuses.

The workers demanded immediate implementation of a fair minimum wage structure for 2023-2024, aligned with current market conditions, as well as regular payment of wages and rations. Other demands included full rations for families, land rights, democratic labor laws, and resolution of disparities in casual and earned leave entitlements.

Key union leaders, including Harinarayan Hazra, general secretary of the Moulvibazar Tea Workers Union, and other union representatives, also addressed the rally.

The protest ended with a call for unity among workers and a commitment to continue their movement until their demands are met.