NTC tea workers paid two weeks' overdue wages

After a delay of six weeks, tea workers of National Tea Company (NTC), including those from various tea gardens in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar, have finally received their overdue wages for two weeks. On Monday (December 9), two weeks' wages were distributed to 1,150 workers at Madhabpur tea garden in the upazila.

Last week, following discussions between both parties, it was agreed that the weekly wages would be paid on Wednesday. However, due to the bank's failure to release the funds, the garden authorities were unable to make the payment. Shafiqul Rahman Munna, Deputy General Manager of the National Tea Company Limited, confirmed the matter.

On December 1, a joint meeting was held at the Shreemangal Labour Department Office between the top leadership of the tea workers and the management of National Tea Company. The meeting, attended by the company's Managing Director Syed Mahmud Hasan and other officials, as well as leaders like Nipen Pal and Ram Bhajan Koiry from the Tea Workers Union, resulted in several key agreements. These included the payment of two weeks' overdue wages on December 5, the disbursement of monthly salaries for workers within the same period, and the commitment to regular salary payments for all employees. Additionally, it was agreed that one month's salary would be paid to staff by December 20, and there would be no wage deductions for idle periods during estate closures.

Furthermore, the remaining overdue wages will be paid by March 2025, and the outstanding provident fund contributions will be settled by April 7, 2025. Following these agreements, the workers committed to resuming work on Thursday, December 5.