Dissatisfaction brews in tea industry as workers now demand arrears

Tea workers have taken to the streets at a number of estates in Sylhet, demanding a payment of their arrears – causing another stir in the comparatively staid industry that faced a crippling labour agitation just four months ago.

On 3 January, tea workers staged a demonstration by blocking the Sylhet-Dhaka highway in Habiganj. Several other labour organisations are also now revving up for a bigger movement over dues stretching back some 20 months.

The owners have said they are yet to decide about the workers' demand.

There are around one lakh permanent and 35,000 temporary workers in the 166 tea gardens in the country.

The Bangladesh Tea Workers' Union has held several meetings with the plantation owners to demand payment of the workers' arrears, and letters have been sent to various departments, including the Prime Minister's Office, over the issue.

However, the arrears have not yet been paid, forcing the workers to begin a fresh movement.

Nirala Jharha, one of the workers of Imam Tea Estate behind the 3 January demo, said that if the tea estate authorities do not pay the dues promptly, they will go for a tougher programme.

The tea workers went on strike in August last year to demand a wage hike, resulting in the industry coming to a halt. After 11 days of strike, the workers' wages were raised by Tk50 following the intervention of the prime minister.

Raju Goala, president of Sylhet Valley Tea Workers' Union, said the tea workers had gone back to work as they were assured by the prime minister of their demand being accepted. But now they are feeling angry and unhappy because they have not received their dues.

"We submitted a memorandum to the labour department, the ministry and even the Prime Minister's Office in November last year. But there has been no solution so far," he told The Business Standard.

Another workers' leader, Sabuj Tanti, said many workers have arrears of up to Tk30,000.

Acting General Secretary of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union Central Committee Nripen Pal said the owners are now arguing about the dues. They claim the wages were increased in a meeting with the prime minister, but the premier did not say anything about the arrears.

'If the arrears are not paid soon, we will launch a larger movement again,' Nripen Pal warned.

GM Shibli, chairman of the Bangladesh Tea Association Sylhet chapter, told The Business Standard that the owners were paying wages as per instructions of the prime minister. "No decision has been taken regarding a payment of the dues."