Fears over coronavirus: 34,000 tea workers go on indefinite strike in Sylhet, Habiganj

A total of 34,000 permanent and temporary workers of 46 tea gardens in Sylhet and Habiganj have gone on strike, demanding suspension of work in order to prevent the transmission of coronavirus.

Of them, 24,000 workers under 23 garden workers in Laskarpur valley under Habiganj district announced to stop work this morning to ensure their safety.

Besides, at least 10,000 workers of 23 tea gardens in Sylhet valley under Sylhet district continued their strike for the second day today, reports our Moulvibazar correspondent.

Raju Goala, president of Bangladesh Tea Workers' Union in Sylhet, said the workers had been demanding suspension of work for the last few days fearing an outbreak of the virus in the tea gardens.

Nipen Paul, joint secretary of Bangladesh Tea Workers' Union central committee, said the workers refrained from coming to work as they did not get any response from the authorities of the 23 tea gardens in the Habiganj district.

 He hoped that authorities would provide them with wages and rations during the strike.

On March 23, the government declared general holidays from March 26 to April 4, aiming to slow the spread of coronavirus. But production was not suspended in the tea gardens.

 Mohammad Nahidul Islam, deputy director of the Department of Labor in Srimangal, said tea garden owners can stop the activities of the garden for safety reasons.

"We have reported this to the tea-labor leaders. We have nothing to do. Tea garden owners and labour leader will take a decision in this regard," he added.

GM Shiblee, chairman of Sylhet branch in Bangladesh Cha Sangsad, the tea garden owners' association, told this correspondent, "Tea workers are watering the tea plants and repairing their thatched houses in this time ahead of the rains. Besides, if we close the tea gardens, temporary workers will be deprived of benefits."