There were agitations in 158 tea gardens in Sylhet and Chattogram divisions during the tea-leaf-plucking season as the tea workers began the strike demanding a minimum daily wage of Tk 300. Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union (BCSU), the only trade union of around 100,000 tea garden workers, is organizing the strike. Currently, a tea worker gets a daily wage of Tk 120 if he can pluck out 22-24 kg tea leaves. When the government’s tales of developments surprise mesmerizing intellectuals, the inhumane daily wage under bonded labour is simply slavery, nothing less.
When the price of essential food items to life-saving drugs is soaring, the monthly wage of Tk 3000 is surprisingly low and putting them under the extreme poverty line. The global goal of SDGs and national commitment to reaching ‘no poverty’ will be unattainable if the tea workers are left behind. The minimum wage board for tea workers, a government-led tripartite body, has continued the 170-year-long tradition of depriving poor workers by recommending an unfair wage structure that conflicts with existing laws.
Experts said tea workers are living in a ghetto and are deprived of all facilities. In India, a worker gets Tk 238 per day while Sri Lanka pays Tk 423. If they can pay higher wages and still be profitable, why can’t our owners do the same?
The lowest wage is discriminatory and even when all workers are granted service benefits as per section 28 of the Labour Law of 2006, tea workers were stripped of the benefit. Besides, there is no casual leave for tea workers. Every woman worker is exempted by law from working eight weeks prior to childbirth. Tea estate owners said the ongoing strike by tea garden workers in Moulvibazar has caused an estimated loss of Tk 161.92 crore, while other districts are not counted.
It is the duty of the government to ensure a minimum wage for tea garden workers. We cannot sip drops of blood and sweat in the teacup by depriving the workers of minimum wage rights.
When the price of essential food items to life-saving drugs is soaring, the monthly wage of Tk 3000 is surprisingly low and putting them under the extreme poverty line. The global goal of SDGs and national commitment to reaching ‘no poverty’ will be unattainable if the tea workers are left behind. The minimum wage board for tea workers, a government-led tripartite body, has continued the 170-year-long tradition of depriving poor workers by recommending an unfair wage structure that conflicts with existing laws.
Experts said tea workers are living in a ghetto and are deprived of all facilities. In India, a worker gets Tk 238 per day while Sri Lanka pays Tk 423. If they can pay higher wages and still be profitable, why can’t our owners do the same?
The lowest wage is discriminatory and even when all workers are granted service benefits as per section 28 of the Labour Law of 2006, tea workers were stripped of the benefit. Besides, there is no casual leave for tea workers. Every woman worker is exempted by law from working eight weeks prior to childbirth. Tea estate owners said the ongoing strike by tea garden workers in Moulvibazar has caused an estimated loss of Tk 161.92 crore, while other districts are not counted.
It is the duty of the government to ensure a minimum wage for tea garden workers. We cannot sip drops of blood and sweat in the teacup by depriving the workers of minimum wage rights.
