Fatikchhari tea workers launch movement over four-point demands

Workers at 18 tea gardens in Chattogram’s Fatikchhari have launched a movement today (August 15) demanding higher wages, fresh elections to the tea workers’ union and permanent ownership of their homestead land, among other demands.

The workers have been holding work stoppages, human chains and protests at different gardens for several days. The unrest has raised concerns among tea garden owners and managers, as the industry is currently in its peak production season.

The four demands announced by the Bangladesh Tea Workers Federation include raising the daily wage to Tk 500, scrapping the 2023 gazette that the workers say undermines their interests, holding elections to the tea workers’ union, and ensuring permanent ownership of homestead land for workers living on tea estates.

Workers’ leaders say the current wage is no longer sufficient to cope with rising prices of essential goods. They also complain that many workers who have lived on the estates for generations still have no permanent legal ownership of their homesteads.

Tea workers are protesting at several gardens, including Karnaphuli, Neptune, Ramgarh, Udalia and New Dantmara. Men and women workers, along with panchayat and valley-level leaders, have joined the demonstrations.

Fatikchhari has 18 tea gardens of varying sizes, employing an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 workers. Workers’ leaders have warned of tougher programmes if their demands are not addressed.

The movement has also caused concern among tea garden owners and managers. The tea production season generally runs from mid-March to December, with June to September considered the peak period. A prolonged work stoppage during this crucial window could therefore disrupt production significantly.

According to industry data, Bangladesh produced 30.63 million kilograms of tea in the first six months of this year, up 36 percent from the same period last year.

The Fatikchhari administration has moved to ease the situation. The upazila executive officer held an emergency meeting with managers of the 18 tea gardens on Wednesday and is scheduled to meet tea workers’ panchayat leaders on Tuesday, August 18.

The administration said workers’ demands would be heard and conveyed to the higher authorities. With the peak production season underway, a negotiated settlement will be crucial to prevent the dispute from escalating and affecting Fatikchhari’s tea output.