Tea workers threaten to go for hunger strike
Workers from at least 158 tea gardens observed two hours' work abstention and staged rallies in different tea gardens under Sylhet division yesterday from 8:00am demanding cancellation of a special economic zone (SEZ).
They also threatened to stage a hunger strike to press home the demand.
Officials in northeastern Sylhet's Habiganj district are in the final phase of acquiring land from the Chandpur, Ram Ganga, Begum Khan and Jual Bhanga tea gardens.
Political parties and rights activists warned that the government's decision to build the SEZ on hundreds of acres of arable land would threaten the livelihood of thousands of workers and their families. It could also adversely affect the lives of indigenous people, many of whom are tea workers.
The decision to build the SEZ would push many workers towards death, said Nripen Paul, member secretary of Chandpur Bhumi Rakkhya Committee. He also said the workers of all the tea gardens in the area will hold a massive protest rally on January 9.a
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