Tea workers' daily wage increased to Tk 170

Tk 170 has been fixed as minimum wage for the tea workers in the meeting between the prime minister and the tea garden owners.

Till now they had been working for Tk 120 as daily wage. They got a raise of Tk 50 on their daily wage.

Along with that, it was decided to increase other facilities including plucking bonus (for plucking extra leaves), festival bonus and PF fund proportionately. Workers’ annual and sick leaves will increase in numbers as well.

Tea workers had been in a movement for more than three weeks demanding their daily wage to be elevated to Tk 300. Strikes were going on in the tea gardens. Under such backdrop, prime minister Sheikh Hasina met with the tea garden owners on Saturday afternoon.

Led by Tea garden owner M Shah Alam, a 13-member delegation attended the meeting. Ahmad Kaikaus, principal secretary to the prime minister informed the journalists about the decisions following nearly two and a half hours long meeting.

Ahmad Kaikaus said, “Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has fixed the daily wage for tea workers at Tk 170. Along with the raise in wage, annual leave, paid festival leave etc. will be increased proportionately. Sick leaves will be increased while the owner party will donate to their medical expenditure fund. Plus, employers’ contribution to the PF fund will increase proportionately.”

Apart from that, ration facilities for subsidised prices will be increased too. Medical facilities, pension for retired workers, educational expenses for the ones under the care of tea workers, maintenance, expenses on grazing land, workers welfare programme for free residence and maintenance, expenses for production at home etc. will go up as well. Including all, their daily wage will be worth about Tk 450 to 500.

The principal secretary said that the prime minister has asked the workers to accept the decision and return to work. He said, "The prime minister had promised to raise the wages by speaking on behalf of the tea workers, which she did. She has asked the tea workers to join work from tomorrow. The prime minister will soon talk to the tea workers through video conference."

Bijoy Hazra, organising secretary of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union central committee, welcomed prime minister’s decision. He said to Prothom Alo, “Our tea workers demanded announcement from the prime minister. The prime minister fixed the wage at Tk 170 after discussing it with the owners. In addition, she asked to increase other facilities including ration, medical, residence etc. as well. We respect prime minister’s decision. Our tea workers will go back to work from tomorrow.”

One of the tea garden owners present in the meeting held at Ganabhaban said to Prothom Alo, “The prime minister listened to both parties with much attention. Just as she was empathetic towards the workers, after hearing about the facilities workers are provided by the owners she asked all these facilities are being provided then why aren’t they being promoted?”

That tea garden owner highlighted all the facilities workers are provided. He said, “We provide 46 kg of rice at the rate of Tk 2 per kg to a worker every month. The health services they are provided is worth Tk 7,500. Besides, residence arrangements are made for each family to live on a 1,500 square feet plot. Plus, workers’ union has been active in the tea industry since 1948.”

The workers had gone on a two-hour strike since 9 August and started an indefinite strike from 13 August in the tea gardens across the country, demanding a raise in wage. There was a heated situation going on in the tea gardens for the last few days. Workers were seen blocking roads, highways and railways to make their movement successful.