Nearly 150,000 tea garden workers, who are among the lowest paid in the country. Workers have been demanding a pay rise in daily wages by 150 percent. They are planning a strike for nearly two weeks in demand of increasing daily wages amid the rising inflation. Workers claim that their current daily wages is 120 taka which is barely enough to buy food, and other necessities such as health and education.

The strikes by the tea workers have become a rallying point for many in the nation of 160 million people, as rising inflation and high food prices add to the wider frustration about low wages. Thousands hit the streets after fuel prices were hiked by more than 50% two weeks ago. The protesters blocked the Sylhet-Dhaka highway as they escalated the strike.

Protest against tea plantation owner

What are they Demanding?

The worker’s union is demanding a 150% that is 300 taka rise in their daily wages. Tea garden workers are among the lowest paid in the country. Tea garden workers are among the lowest paid in the country. “No tea worker will work in the leaf process or pluck leaves as long as the authority doesn’t pay heed to our demands”, as told by AFP. The union has rejected the government’s latest offer of a 25% per day wage increases.

What do plantation owners have to say?

Plantation owners have offered an increase of 14 taka a day, after an 18 taka rise last year. They claim that they are going through tough times as their profits are declining down the year. “In reality, what they are saying is not right. We provide a medical fund, retirement benefit, along with weekly rations and access to primary education for the children. It all adds up to around $4 a day”. said by a tea owner.

Thousands protest against pay cut

Tea Plantation in Bangladesh

Nearly 150,00 people work at more than 200 Bangladeshi tea plantation, which are mostly located in the Sylhet region in northern Bangladesh. Bangladesh is one of the world’s largest tea producers, exporting tea to more than 20 countries which includes the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Most tea-workers are low-caste Hindus, the descendants of laborer’s brought to the plantations by colonial-ear British planters in the 19th century.

Worker’s Exploitation

Researchers say tea workers- who live in some of the country’s remotest areas have been systematically exploited by the industry for decades. The United Nations say they are one of the most marginalized groups in the country, with limited access to basic facilities and education.

Workers have been exploited since the birth of private ownership and capitalism. Karl Marx said, “as long as we are dealing with a class-divided society-regardless of the historical era-human labor power is exploited; the only difference is the form this has taken.” Therefore exploitation in class divided society is inevitable, profits are the spinning wheel of capitalist system and workers are the machine of profit making. Thus, exploitation needs to end with revolution, and WhatsOn stands in solidarity of the workers of tea plantation.