Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain said on Friday that the government will form a high-level inter-ministerial committee to resolve longstanding grievances and improve the overall well-being of tea workers in Bangladesh.
“The committee will include representatives from the Ministries of Labour and Employment, Finance, Commerce, Industries, Agriculture, and Land. In addition, tripartite discussions involving workers, owners, and government representatives will be held to address challenges in the tea sector,” he said.
The adviser was addressing a view-exchange meeting, attended by owners, CEOs, and managers of various tea estates on Friday at the Balisera Valley Club in Sreemangal of Moulvibazar.
Sakhawat said the government is working to improve the living standards of tea workers and ensure their basic needs are met. The construction of a hospital for tea workers in Sreemangal is under consideration.
He further said that women's washroom facilities must be established in tea gardens without delay, warning that legal action would be taken against any garden authorities who obstruct the initiative.
He said: “There can be no greater social injustice than the absence of washrooms for female tea workers in the gardens.”
Addressing the issue of national elections, Sakhawat said: “Whether or not the national election will take place is not my concern. Those responsible will deal with that. There is an Election Commission to handle the matter. I have no headache about it—it’s not my responsibility. My responsibility is to focus on the tea workers.”
Regarding the wages and benefits of tea workers, the adviser said: “The current pay and benefits of tea workers are insufficient. Garden owners are getting less for their tea at auction than it costs to produce. If the owners don’t have money in their pockets, we can’t force them to pay wages and benefits.”
He added: “We will not allow tea garden owners to stop paying wages to workers and enjoy their lives abroad in luxury. We will find them and bring them back.”
Emphasizing the historical significance of the tea industry, Sakhawat added: “Tea is a traditional export sector of Bangladesh and was once the only export item of East Pakistan. This industry must not be allowed to deteriorate.”
Prior to the meeting, the adviser planted a fruit tree sapling in front of the Labour Office in Sreemangal.
Chaired by Labour Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman, the meeting was addressed by Kamran Tanvirur Rahman, chairman and managing director of Kapna Tea Company Ltd.
During the session, estate managers highlighted various problems faced by the tea industry.
Shafiquzzaman said: "Auction prices of tea have fallen below production costs, resulting in delays in wage payments to workers. Discussions are ongoing to improve their wages and ration distribution system."
The meeting was also attended by the chairman of the Bangladesh Tea Board, the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police of Moulvibazar, along with officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Department of Labour, and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.