Sylhet Bureau :
The Ethnic Community Development Organization (ECDO) held a roundtable meeting on general issues including tea workers’ rights. Administrative officials, tea garden owner authorities, general tea workers, panchayat members, valley members, NGO representatives, UP members and tea garden youth committee members participated in the meeting. The roundtable meeting was held at conference room of a prestigious hotel in Sylhet city on Wednesday (July 9).
The meeting presented a picture of the lives of tea garden workers. In addition, female tea workers highlighted the various problems they face while working in the garden. All the participants in the meeting made various recommendations to solve the problems of tea workers and implement their rights.
The speakers at the meeting said, none of us want the tea industry to be destroyed. To protect the tea industry, the rights of tea workers must first be implemented. Because the garden survives for the tea workers. The labor law mentions special benefits for women tea workers. And the rights of all women tea workers to enjoy these benefits. In addition, the speakers recommended taking up long-term projects to improve the quality of life of this neglected tea community.
The meeting was chaired by ECDO Executive Director Laxmikant Singha and the chief guest was Senior Assistant Judge and Sylhet District Legal Aid Officer Bisheshwar Singha. The special guests were Farooq Mahmud Chowdhury, President of Sushasan Garh Nagrik Sujon, and Anwar Hossain, Manager of Lakkatura Tea Garden. At the beginning of the meeting, ECDO Project Coordinator Momtahinur Rahman Chowdhury presented a picture of the tea gardens of Sylhet.
The organizers said that various trainings were provided to women tea workers through the ‘Leadership Development for Tea Garden Women Workers on Their Rights’ project implemented by ECDO in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and Oxfam in Bangladesh to develop their leadership. So that they can exercise their rights, they are introduced to various government organizations and informed about various government services.
At the meeting, Anwar Hossain, manager of Lakkatura Tea Garden, said, “Just as the tea workers have unpaid salaries, so do everyone working in the management, including me. On the one hand, tea auctions are not taking place. On the other hand, even if the auction is held, the workers cannot be paid their wages with the money that is received. We are not even getting the loan that we have applied for. So there is a little crisis. Maybe after a few days, this crisis will end. Slowly, all their problems will be solved. So the workers have to be patient. Because everything in the garden belongs to the workers. It is their responsibility to protect the garden.”
Senior Assistant Judge and District Legal Aid Officer Bisheshwar Singh, who was the chief guest, said, “You have the right to get the demands you have raised today under the Labor Act. The Labor Act provides special benefits for a female worker. The law states equal wages, provision of toilets at the workplace, maternity benefits, care for children, and not doing heavy and dangerous work.” It is the responsibility of the garden owners to ensure these facilities for women tea workers.
Laxmikant Singh, Executive Director of Ekdo, said, “Before starting the project, we conducted a survey and identified the problems of the tea workers. Then we sent recommendations to the policymakers. We organized various workshops for the leadership development of women tea workers. We conducted various activities including awareness plays and yard meetings to solve various problems. Now we are taking everyone’s recommendations again. So that everyone can come forward to solve the problems of the tea workers.”
