Thursday | 23 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Thursday | 23 January 2025 | Epaper

Woes of toiling tea garden workers

Published : Monday, 9 December, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 728
Nafew Sajed Joy
Sufia Banu, a tea plantation worker in Sylhet, begins her day at dawn, tirelessly plucking leaves to meet her daily target of 23 kilograms. Despite her relentless efforts, her monthly wage barely crosses BDT 5,100-an amount woefully inadequate to sustain her family, let alone nurture dreams of a better future. Her story reflects the harsh realities faced by countless workers across Bangladesh's industries.

From the lush tea gardens to the bustling tannery factories in Savar, these workers are the backbone of our economy, generating billions in revenue. Yet, they remain among the most underpaid and marginalized segments of the workforce. In recent months, the interim government has taken steps to address this disparity by revising minimum wages across key sectors such as tanneries, garments, and cold storage facilities. However, while these efforts are a step in the right direction, significant gaps in equitable treatment, timely implementation, and effective enforcement persist, limiting their potential impact.

For example, the minimum wage for tannery workers in divisional cities and Savar previously stood at BDT 13,500. The new structure reflects a 33.34% increase, raising wages to a range of BDT 17,048 to BDT 34,168 depending on grade and location. The Ministry of Labour and Employment's gazette notification highlighted the difference in housing allowances-70% of basic salary in divisional cities and Savar, versus 60% elsewhere. While this increase offers some relief, it remains insufficient to elevate workers out of poverty or bridge the substantial gap with international wage standards.

Data from the Wage Board reveals that in 2018, the highest minimum wage for any sector was BDT 16,000 in shipbreaking. This included housing, medical, transportation, and food allowances. On the other hand, the lowest minimum wages were in sectors such as type foundries (BDT 521), petrol pumps (BDT 792), automobile workshops (BDT 1,930), and private non-agricultural establishments (BDT 3,000).

Similarly, the garment sector, which sees wage revisions every five years, benefited from an early wage hike in November 2023. A 54% to 56% increase was announced, raising the highest wage for grade-1 workers to BDT 14,750, up from BDT 9,590. While these changes bring some improvement, garment workers' demands for a minimum wage of BDT 23,000 remain unmet, highlighting the persistence of wage disparities even within the sector.Additionally, many workers still face delays in receiving their wages, leading to frequent protests and roadblocks as they demand timely payments.

After 12 long years, the cold storage sector in Bangladesh finally received a much-needed wage update. The Ministry of Labour and Employment's Wage Board introduced a new structure, setting minimum wages at BDT 14,000 and maximum wages at BDT 21,350. Workers are now categorized into four grades, with entry-level roles like assistants and helpers earning BDT 14,000, while experienced foremen in Grade-1 will receive BDT 21,350. Apprentices will start at BDT 9,800 during a three-month training period, which can be extended if they need more time to develop their skills. For employees in roles such as guards or cleaners, wages start at BDT 12,950, and Grade-1 roles like accountants will earn BDT 21,350. This long-awaited adjustment aims to provide fairer pay and improve the working conditions for those keeping the cold storage industry running.

According to Wage Board data, in 2018, the highest minimum wage in any sector was BDT 16,000 for shipbreaking workers, including allowances for housing, medical care, transportation, and food. In contrast, the lowest minimum wages were found in sectors like type foundries (BDT 521), petrol pumps (BDT 792), automobile workshops (BDT 1,930), and private non-agricultural establishments (BDT 3,000). Sectors like construction and woodwork (about BDT 10,000), pharmaceuticals (BDT 8,050), and vegetable oil mills (BDT 7,420) were comparatively better off, while tea garden workers remained among the lowest paid.

Despite contributing significantly to the economy, tea plantation workers continue to face severe wage disparities. Bangladesh has 256 tea gardens, with 168 commercial plantations employing over 103,000 registered workers. In 2021, their daily wage was set at BDT 170, far below the BDT 300 they demanded. This amounts to a monthly income of just BDT 5,100-woefully inadequate in today's economy. Although the government announced a 5% annual wage increase starting in 2024, this remains largely theoretical and unimplemented. Many workers face delays in receiving their meager wages, often leading to protests. Additionally, they must meet stringent quotas, such as picking 23 kilograms of tea leaves daily to be counted as present, or pruning at least 250 tea bushes. According to a survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNICEF, as many as 74% of tea garden workers in Sylhet still live below the poverty line, underscoring the urgent need for meaningful reforms.

Tea workers in Bangladesh are stuck in a cycle of generational poverty, struggling with deep economic and social challenges. They live on plantation land but have no ownership rights, which means they have no choice but to keep working in the gardens just to stay in their homes. This forces entire families into a system of dependency that's hard to escape. In contrast, tea workers in neighboring countries earn significantly higher wages. For example, in 2022, daily wages for plantation workers in Kerala were INR 421, INR 407 in Tamil Nadu, and INR 377 in Karnataka, while in Sri Lanka, workers earned about 350 rupees a day. In comparison, Bangladeshi tea workers still earn shockingly low wages. This glaring disparity raises an important question: why are the people who play such a vital role in our economy treated with such unfairness and neglect?

To address these issues, we must take concrete, multifaceted action:

Create a Robust Oversight System: The government must establish an independent body to ensure the timely and transparent disbursement of wages. Leveraging modern technologies like mobile financial services (MFS) can streamline wage payments, minimizing delays and disputes. This will not only create trust but also offer workers real-time insights into their earnings.

Expand Skill Development Programs: Empowering workers through skill-building initiatives is crucial to improving their livelihoods. Partnering with NGOs and international organizations can bring advanced techniques to tea plantations, enhancing productivity and giving workers access to higher-paying roles. For example, teaching tea workers sustainable farming practices or quality control skills could lead to better wages and improved working conditions.

Land Ownership for Tea Workers: A fundamental solution to the generational cycle of poverty in the tea sector is granting land ownership to plantation workers. This would provide workers with security, dignity, and an incentive to invest in the land they cultivate. The stability of owning their homes would create a sense of long-term financial security and break the cycle of dependence that has persisted for generations.

These steps are not just theoretical; they are practical, actionable solutions that could transform the lives of millions. By ensuring fair wages, improving skills, and empowering workers with land ownership, we can bridge the gap between economic contribution and worker compensation. It's time to move beyond symbolic promises and implement real, lasting changes for the people who fuel our economy.

The writer is a researcher



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