A.F.M. Asad Ullah: Workers from three tea estates and a factory under the Burjan Tea Estate in Sylhet have agreed to resume work following assurances from the authorities. Before returning to work, the workers will receive one week’s wages and rations from their 20 weeks of unpaid wages on Thursday. The workers have assured that they will return to work on Friday after receiving their wages.
This decision was reached during a meeting on Wednesday morning between the protesting workers and Major General Sheikh Md. Sarwar Hossain, Chairman of the Bangladesh Tea Board. The meeting took place at the Sylhet District Commissioner’s Office.
Following the meeting, Sylhet Sadar Upazila Executive Officer Khoshnoor Rubaiyat said, “The Chairman of the Tea Board has listened to the demands of the tea estate workers. It has been decided to provide one week’s unpaid wages for now. For this purpose, the tea companies and the Bangladesh Tea Board will contribute 1 million taka. The remaining amount will be arranged by the District Commissioner. All pending dues will be cleared in phases.”
The decision was welcomed by the protesting tea workers.
Sohag Chhatri, a labor leader from Burjan Tea Estate, said, “A temporary solution has been reached. Tomorrow (Thursday), all tea workers will receive one week’s wages. The tea estates will reopen the day after tomorrow. The plucked leaves will be sold, and the subsequent wages will be paid promptly, as assured. Everyone has agreed to this and will return to work.”
It is noteworthy that for the past 20 weeks, the workers of three tea estates and a factory under Burjan Tea Estate have not received wages or rations. Citing financial losses, the owners withheld the workers’ payments. On May 4, tea workers from Burjan, Charagang, and Kalagul estates staged a blockade on the Ambarkhana-Airport Road, demanding back wages and the cancellation of the Burjan Tea Estate’s lease, among 11 demands. Although they lifted the blockade following assurances from the administration, they set a three-day deadline for their demands to be met.
To resolve the ongoing crisis, Major General Sheikh Md. Sarwar Hossain, Chairman of the Bangladesh Tea Board, visited Sylhet on Wednesday. Following discussions, the prolonged stalemate at these estates is set to end.
