Tea workers will get Tk120 daily wage hereafter

From now on, registered tea workers will get a daily wage of Tk120 per head after it has been raised from Tk102 in the wake of the workers' protest.

In this regard, the tea garden owners' association – Bangladesh Cha Sangsad (BCS) – and the workers' association – Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union (BCSU) – signed a preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday.

The wage hike will be effective from January 2019 and the workers will be paid under the new payment agreed upon from October 19 of the current year.

Therefore, the arrears since January last year will be paid in four instalments, each equivalent to Tk3,000, said Makhon Lal Karmokar, president of the BCSU.

Earlier during a meeting with BCS leaders at Provident Fund Office in Sreemangal of Moulvibazar, BCU leaders demanded acceptance of their wage hike before Durga Puja – the biggest Hindu religious festival, and the payment accordingly.

Ram Bhajan Koiri, general secretary of BCSU, told The Business Standard that an initial contract has been signed regarding the wage hike. The tea workers will get increased bonus once the full contract is signed.

Responding to the development, Mohon Rabidas, president of Jagaron Jubo Forum, an organisation of children of tea workers, said they demanded for a daily wage hike to Tk300.

Terming today's decision as inhuman, Mohon Rabidas said they were thinking of a fresh movement with the workers. The workers had observed two-hour work abstention daily since October 7, demanding a wage hike.