Tea workers in Sylhet strike for wage increase

Tea workers in Sylhet went on a strike demanding land rights and a daily wage of Tk 500, among other demands. Hundreds of workers from Malnichhara Tea Estate in Sylhet halted work for two hours on Monday, 23 September, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.

The workers stated that the minimum wage declared by the Wage Board and the Bangladesh Tea Association, amounting to Tk 170 daily, goes against their interests.

They have rejected the proposed amount, arguing that it is impossible to sustain their lives with the current wage in the face of rising living costs. As a result, they are calling for their daily wage to be increased to Tk 500.

Additionally, the workers highlighted that despite living in Bangladesh for generations and contributing significantly to the growth and production of the tea industry, they still lack legal rights to the land. They also demanded that their land rights be legally recognised.