Thousands of Bangladeshi tea plantation workers go on indefinite strike

Aug. 13 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Thousands of tea workers have started an indefinite strike this Saturday to demand a daily minimum wage of 300 takas (about 3 euros) and have started the protests with a large demonstration in the city of Sylhet. The current salary is 120 takas (about 1.20 euros).

The workers of 23 plantations in the Sylhet valley are called to strike after their demands have not been met after two-hour daily stoppages that began on August 9, according to the news portal bdnews24.

The president of the Sylhet Valley Tea Workers’ Union, Raju Goala, explained that they had given a one-week ultimatum for the plantation owners to accept the wage increase, “but they have not listened”.

“We have had two-hour daily stoppages since August 9, but the owners have ignored us and have forced us to call this indefinite strike,” he pointed out.

Raju has argued that the current salary is not enough to live on. “The price of everything has skyrocketed, including fuel. A daily wage of 120 takas is no longer enough for a family,” he said.

The union spokesman also recalled that there was a commitment to review the workers’ wages every two years, which is not being fulfilled.