THE state-owned National Tea Company failing to pay tea workers’ wages for over six weeks is unacceptable. About 17,000 workers of 16 tea plantations of the National Tea Company across the country have been on strike since October 21. The workers formed human chains, held protests and urged the authorities for payment of their wages in the past week and a half, while the authorities also assured them to pay their dues in arrears before Durga Puja. But they have not yet been paid their dues. The Bangladesh Tea Workers Union says that tea workers receive what can hardly be called a survival wage, and not getting wages for six weeks has exacerbated their situation. This is, moreover, not the first time that the workers of the state-owned tea company face such a situation. In the first week of September, the tea workers took to the streets, demanding their wages unpaid for three weeks. Workers also complain that the company often suspends workers’ rations and their access to treatment. The health centres do not often have medicines. In addition, for 15 months, access to their provident fund has also been restricted.
The authorities, which earlier sought to explain the delay in payment by saying that the pending restructuring and reconstitution of the board of directors had caused the delay as it is unable to get bank loans, are reported to have said that the issue will be addressed soon as the company now has a new chairman. The authorities are also reported to have asked local administration for an allocation of 30 kilograms of VGF rice for each worker. Although assuring, such explanations and measures are unacceptable. The NTC cannot deny the workers their due wages for bureaucratic reasons. What is particularly worrying is that irregular payment of wages and employment benefits has become characteristic of the tea industry. In March, tea workers of the Kuchai tea garden in Moulvibazar abstained from work over the announcement of a reduced festival allowance. In July 2023, workers at Imam and Bhabani Tea Garden went on strike with five-point demands that included the payment of their wage and festival allowance, the reimbursement of the provident fund and their house rent and medical allowances. Tea workers also do not receive 5 per cent of the net profit of the previous year of the company that they work for, in keeping with the labour law and the Workers’ Welfare Foundation Act. Besides and above all, the daily wage of Tk 170 for tea workers is inadequate amidst unprecedented food inflation.
The National Tea Company must, therefore, immediately pay the workers their dues in arrears and must ensure that such delay in payment does not happen again. The government must address tea workers’ grievances, take initiatives to protect their rights and set a living wage for them.
