Tea workers’ union leaders in Moulvibazar on Monday demanded immediate payment of due wages, rations and festival bonuses to the workers at different tea estates.
They raised the demand during a meeting of its district committee at its office at Shamshernagar in Kamalganj upazila of the district.
Speakers at the meeting stated despite working regularly, monthly wages of many workers in different gardens remained due. Nor did they receive food rations and festival bonuses, pushing the very poor tea garden workers and their families to an even direr state, particularly amid the rising costs of essential commodities, union leaders said.
They alleged that workers in state-owned 12 National Tea Company gardens, four gardens of Dewundi Tea Company and Borjan Tea Company were not getting their wages.
In addition, wages and rations have long been suspended for workers of Phultala Tea Garden. Workers of many gardens were also denied the festival bonus during the recent Fagua (Lal Puja) festival, a major festival of the tea garden workers, they added.
As per minimum wage gazette for the tea industry, all tea garden workers are entitled to receive Tk. 3,712.80 as the festival bonus during Fagua.
The meeting was presided over by Tea Workers’ Union Moulvibazar district committee vice-president Shyamal Olmik.
Tea garden worker leaders called for a united movement to determine a new minimum wage, ensure full rations support based on family needs, land rights, strict enforcement of the labour law and introduction of provident fund and other facilities for workers.
Speakers in the meeting included Bangladesh Trade Union Centre Moulvibazar district committee general secretary Rajat Biswas, Tea Workers’ Union district committee general secretary Horinarayan Hajra and women tea garden worker Lakshmimoni Bakti.