15,000 tea workers in Habiganj go unpaid for three weeks, demand arrears

Around 15,000 tea workers at four gardens operated by Deundi Tea Company in Habiganj have gone without wages for three weeks, pushing them into financial hardship. They also allege that their provident fund contributions have not been deposited for 47 months.

The workers staged a human chain in front of the Habiganj deputy commissioner's office on Sunday, demanding payment of their outstanding wages and other dues, improved medical services and fulfilment of five demands. Their leaders later submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner.

Workers from Deundi, Lalchand, Noapara and Mrittika tea gardens took part in the protest after several programmes at the gardens failed to resolve the issue.

In the memorandum, the workers said each of them was owed around 4,000 taka in arrears, amounting to approximately 6 crore taka across the four gardens.

They also alleged that provident fund contributions deducted from their wages, along with the employer's share, had not been deposited for 47 months. As a result, they have been unable to access the benefits to which they are entitled.

The workers further said medical services at the gardens had deteriorated due to a halt in medicine supplies. Construction of workers' housing, repairs to existing homes and maintenance of doors, windows and roofs had also been suspended.

Nripen Pal, general secretary of the Bangladesh Tea Workers' Union, said tea workers had not received their rightful dues properly since 2022.

He said three weeks of wages remained unpaid at the four gardens operated by Deundi Tea Company, while the authorities had also failed to settle workers' arrears and deposit provident fund contributions.

The workers initially staged work stoppages at their respective gardens to press their demands. As the protests failed to produce a resolution, they gathered outside the deputy commissioner's office on Sunday and submitted a memorandum outlining five demands, Pal said.

He added that the workers were considering tougher protest programmes if their demands were not met.

Habiganj Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Dr GM Sarfaraz said the workers had submitted a memorandum and that he had previously contacted the relevant authorities, urging them to pay the outstanding wages.

“They earn so little. How can they survive if they do not receive their wages?” he said.

Sarfaraz expressed frustration that the garden authorities had not acted on his requests, adding that he would contact higher authorities if necessary to resolve the issue.