Tea workers in Sylhet protest for overdue wages and rations

Hundreds of tea workers in Sylhet staged a protest on Friday, demanding the immediate payment of overdue wages and rations. The demonstration, organized by the Sylhet District branch of the Bangladesh Trade Union Centre, highlighted the severe financial and humanitarian crisis faced by thousands of workers from tea estates in the region.

Abul Kalam Azad, acting president of the Sylhet District Trade Union Centre, led the rally. During the protest, speakers called on both the government and tea estate authorities to take swift action to address the workers‍‍` plight and ensure their basic rights. "Our struggle is not just for wages; it‍‍`s for survival and dignity," a labour leader said.

The protest march, which began at 2:00 pm from Keane Bridge and passed through Zindabazar, urged the government to intervene urgently for the relief of about 12,000 workers from 12 tea estates operated by the National Tea Company (NTC). Workers reported that they had not received their wages or rations for nearly three months, leaving their families on the brink of starvation. Despite submitting memorandums to the government and staging a 26-day strike, they said no action had been taken.

Protesters warned that between 40,000 and 50,000 people, including workers and their families, are facing hunger. "At a time when living costs are soaring, we are denied even the meager daily wage of Tk 178.50. How can we survive?" one protester asked.

The workers also criticized the broader neglect of the tea industry, pointing to ongoing issues such as delayed wages, irregular rations, and unpaid provident fund contributions across both government and private tea estates. They accused estate owners of exploiting workers with discriminatory wages and unfair distribution of festival bonuses.

The workers demanded the immediate implementation of a fair minimum wage structure for 2023-24, adjusted to current market conditions, as well as the regular payment of wages and rations. Additional demands included full rations for families, land rights, democratic labor laws, and the resolution of disparities in leave entitlements.

Labour leaders, including Harinarayan Hazra, general secretary of the Moulvibazar Tea Workers Union, and other union representatives, also addressed the rally. The protest concluded with a call for unity among the workers and a pledge to continue the movement until their demands are met.