Tea Workers Raise Land Rights and Welfare in Sreemangal

A large gathering of tea workers was held in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, to mark International Workers’ Day, with union leaders calling for land rights and a range of welfare reforms.

The rally took place on Friday afternoon at the Durga Temple grounds of the Bharaura Tea Estate, organised by the Balishira Valley unit of the Bangladesh Tea Workers’ Union. The chief guest was Md Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Member of Parliament for Moulvibazar-4.

Chaired by Bijoy Hazra, president of the union’s Balishira Valley unit, the meeting was addressed by Mahabbat Hossain, Deputy Director of the Department of Labour in Sreemangal, Tahsin Ahmed Chowdhury, Chief Operating Officer of James Finlay Tea Company, union vice-president Pankaj Kanda, and former upazila vice-chairman Premsagar Hazra, among others.

Despite steady rain, thousands of workers travelled from across the Balishira Valley by bus, lorry and tractor to attend. As the day went on, the venue became increasingly crowded. The formal discussion began at around 3:30pm.

Speakers said that although tea workers have lived on estates for nearly 150 to 200 years, they still lack legal rights to the land they occupy. Many, they argued, continue to live in conditions resembling a transient or insecure existence. Concerns were also raised about the poor standard of healthcare services in tea communities.

Union leaders noted that demands for basic rights have been raised repeatedly over many years, yet little tangible progress has been made.

They also stressed the need to improve access to education for workers’ children, so they can pursue better employment opportunities in the future. Female workers, they said, face particular challenges, including a lack of adequate toilet facilities and limited maternity leave, currently set at four months, which they described as insufficient.

Workers reported that they are not provided with raincoats despite working in adverse weather, and that the absence of sanitary products exposes women to health risks. During pregnancy, many are forced to cover medical and nutritional costs from their own wages, often leading to malnutrition.

In his remarks, Bijoy Hazra said, “Every year on May Day we raise these demands, but they remain unfulfilled. We hope the current government will take effective steps to address them.”

He added that there are no emergency shelters for workers in tea estates, leaving them vulnerable during storms and extreme weather. He called for the urgent construction of such facilities.

Addressing the gathering, MP Md Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury said, “I have been working with tea garden communities for many years. Even before becoming an MP, I supported them personally. Now I will continue this work through government initiatives. I have already raised their issues in Parliament several times, and efforts to improve their conditions will continue.”

EN/SA