Wage discrimination in Ishwardi’s lichiyara

Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
During the litchi season, about 30,000 women in the rural areas of Ishwardi are actively involved in various activities in litchi gardens. After the litchi ripens, sorting and counting is done by women workers. Some of them are housewives, day laborers, school-college students. These women working in various gardens between 8 am to 5 pm every day are known as Lichukanya in Ishwardi. Lichukanyas don’t get fair wages despite hard and backbreaking work. They work for 200-300 taka less wages than men without wasting time. For a long time, these lychu girls are victims of wage discrimination.
Ishwardi, known as the capital of Bombay litchi, comes into discussion every year during this Bangla month. The juicy litchi here is appreciated all over the country. Fruit lovers are always interested in Ishwardi’s juicy litchi. 3,100 hectares of litchi have been planted in Ishwardi this year.
On the surface, litchi gardens can be seen, the Bombay litchi has matured and taken on a reddish color. Women workers are working in every garden. Direct women workers with litchi production, handling and marketing. The litchi girls involved in litchi production remained in the background. Along with litchi girls, the women members of garden owners and farmers’ families, including daughters-in-law, also participated in the selection and counting of litchi.
Hanif Sheikh of litchi garden in Maniknagar village said that about 30 thousand women are actively involved in various activities in litchi garden. Some are housewives, day laborers, school-college students. Every day from 8 am to 5 pm work in different gardens. At the end of the day two meals and a wage of 300-400 rupees are given. However, male workers do not come to work for less than 600-700 rupees.
Aarti Rani of Abed Mor area said, I work all day during litchi season in the hope of additional income for the family. With the income, some buy goats, some house furniture and pots and pans used for family work. Many people spend this money on their children’s education. You can earn extra money by working in litchi garden.
Rozina Khatun, daughter of Lichuk of Aotapara, said, I work in the garden in the gap between family work in the hope of additional income. I got 400 taka after working all day. But men get Rs 600-700 for the same job. We women are victims of discrimination.
Molina Khatun Molly, a college student of Ramirkamari said, hundreds of school-college students like me work during litchi season. The money that I get as salary covers the entire year of study. I have been working in the garden since school.
According to the current market rates, Shefali Das said that the women’s wages are low, but the garden owners do not want to pay more than this, despite the demand to increase the wages.
Abdul Jalil Kitab, litchi farmer who received National Agriculture Medal, said that women workers play a leading role in sorting and counting litchi. In the present labor crisis, if there were no women worker, the task of sorting and counting litchi would have become difficult. This time the women have to pay Tk 400 as wages and with two times meal . Last year wages were Tk250 to 300. This time it has been increased to Tk400 somewhere.