Several hundred tea workers from the National Tea Company (NTC) have entered their 15th consecutive day of strike, demanding the payment of seven weeks’ unpaid wages and 13 months’ overdue Provident Fund (PF) contributions.
Several hundred workers from the Lakkatura, Kewachra, and Daldali tea estates formed a human chain outside the Lakkatura tea plantation in Sylhet on Monday afternoon.
"We have been protesting for 15 days, but the owner has not provided any clear answers regarding our arrears," a representative of the workers stated.
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"Garden owners claim they cannot pay wages due to various reasons, including a lack of funds in the bank, yet garden managers and others are receiving their payments without issue. Furthermore, our Provident Fund contributions have not been submitted to the proper authorities," they claimed.
The ongoing strike has forced the closure of 12 NTC-owned factories, disrupting production and damaging tea leaves, which may hinder efforts to meet tea production targets.
Efforts to reach National Tea Company General Manager Emdadul Haque for comment were unsuccessful, as he declined to speak on the matter.
Tea workers under NTCL begin wildcat strike demanding arrears in Sylhet
Among the 168 tea gardens in Bangladesh, 136 are located in the Sylhet division. Tea production in the country began in 1854 at the Malnichara tea plantation in Sylhet, where hundreds of thousands of workers remain dependent on this vital industry.