Workers of the Ayeshabagh Tea Garden in the Baralekha upazila of Moulvibazar went on an indefinite strike since yesterday morning to press home their seven-point demand including the permission for cultivating paddy in fallow land inside the tea garden.
The other demands include right to planting trees adjacent to the houses, cattle farming and vegetable cultivation, demand for arrears of festival bonus, establishing schools in tea gardens and ensuring sanitation and pure water.
Saying that these demands were being made since 2014, workers Moni Bauri, Jharna Bauri, and Shoma Tati said: “We have written to the management and notified the higher authorities, but as our words fell on deaf ears, we have decided to go on a strike from 7am this morning.”
Ajit Bunroji, president of the tea garden’s panchayat committee, said: “The workers went on the strike as they did not get any solution from the meeting held with the garden authorities over the demands this morning.
“We will continue our strike until the demands are met.”
Ayeshabagh Tea garden Manager Mizanur Rahman said: “The demands made by the tea garden workers are being looked into and discussed with the owner.”
