A section of tea workers agreed to suspend their ongoing strike after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina raised their daily wage to Tk 170 from Tk 120 on Saturday, in a meeting with the owners of the tea gardens. Another section however, would make a decision after further consultation among themselves.
Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Ahmed Kaikaus said that the daily wage for the tea workers has been set by the Prime Minister on behalf of the workers after a meeting held with the tea garden owners at her official residence Ganabhaban.
Also read: Tea workers' wages raised to Tk170 a day after meeting with PM
She also requested the workers to go back to their respective works, he added.
The general tea workers are satisfied with the PM’s decision and they will join the work from Monday as Sunday is their holiday, said Bijoy Hazra, organizational secretary of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union and president of Balishira Valley to UNB.
Mohon Rabidas, convener of newly formed ‘Cha Sramik Odhikar Parishad’ (Tea Workers Rights Council), said “We have heard the news and will take further decision in this regard after consulting with the general workers.”
The movement started on August 9, when workers from tea gardens across the country abstained from work for two hours, demanding Tk 300 as daily wages. As their demand was not met, they decided to go on a full-scale strike from August 13.
Also read: Tea workers continue strike for Tk 300-a-day wages
After holding meetings with tea garden owners and other stakeholders in the past two weeks, the tea workers’ union leaders agreed to resume work but that was rejected by the general workers.