Tea workers resume operation in Moulvibazar after 49 day

Workers from eight tea gardens under Kamalganj National Tea Company Limited (NTCL) in Moulvibazar district resumed work on Tuesday after receiving part of their overdue wages.

The workers had been on a work stoppage for nearly 49 days, demanding the payment of their outstanding dues.

The authorities cleared two weeks of the workers’ arrears on Monday, marking the first installment of payments in a phased plan to settle a total of six weeks’ worth of wages owed to the workers. The remaining dues will be cleared in the coming months.

Rashedul Islam, assistant manager of Madhabpur Tea Garden, noted that the prolonged strike had caused significant damage to the tea gardens. “We will work hard to recover some of the losses, but the company has faced substantial financial setbacks, amounting to several crores of money over the past few months,” he said.

The workers had started their abstention from work on August 22, demanding payment of their outstanding dues. A meeting between the Bangladesh Tea Workers Union and the National Tea Company led to a decision to clear the wages in phases. According to Nipen Pal, acting general secretary of the union, two weeks of wages have already been paid, and the workers are returning to their jobs.

Deputy General Manager Shafiqur Rahman Munna confirmed that workers who receive a monthly allowance will be paid on December 20. He also assured that the workers’ rations would not be deducted for the closure days and that the days of absence would not affect their bonuses or annual leave. The remaining arrears are expected to be fully cleared by March 2025.