Srimangal/Moulvibazar/Representative/

The general labor party held a press conference demanding the election of the expired committee of the Bangladesh Tea Workers Union.

On Wednesday (February 15) at 11 a.m. in Srimangal Press Club at a press conference on behalf of ordinary workers, labor leader Md. Salim Ahmed said in a written statement that the current illegal committee has failed to make an agreement with the owners and elect a union even though almost 25 months have passed. The common tea workers under interrogation continue to try to blame themselves on the government. In this situation, the ordinary tea workers submitted an ultimatum letter to the president of the expired and illegal committee Makhan Lal Karmakar, who was stationed at the Labor House on January 8, asking for a clear explanation about the calculation of membership fees of the tea workers, 19 months of wages arrears, new contracts, union elections and other issues. In view of this, in the letter signed by Nippen Pal on behalf of the committee on January 14, without giving a clear answer to the ultimatum, he put the responsibility of the failure on the concerned department of the government. In response, general labor leaders refused.
The labor leaders also said in a written statement that we have received a revised copy of the constitution last January. The constitution amended and signed by only two members of the illegal committee namely Makhan Lal Karmkar and Nipen Pal has been approved by the Labor Department on January 8, 2023. The constitution also mentions how to extort more money from the workers and the involvement of labor department officials in the management of workers’ unions. This role of the Labor Department in managing the trade union of lakhs of tea workers has raised questions among the tea workers about the impartiality of the Labor Department. What is the reason for so much mutual love between the labor department and the expired illegal committee? Common tea workers want to know that. A three-page letter (attached) containing our views on the calculation of union membership dues, elections at various levels, amendments to the constitution, workers’ dues, etc. It has been sent to the concerned quarters including the Honorable Director General, Labor Department on 8th February last. According to the letter, it has been mentioned that a tea workers’ representative meeting will be held at Srimangal on February 19. Due to unavoidable reasons, the rally will be held on February 26. The current situation of the union and the minds of the common tea workers are mentioned in the three-page letter. Vijay Bunarjee, Parimal Singh Garaik, Geeta Rani Kanu, Ramdayal Goala, Sukumar Rajbhar and Jagatthanti were also present in the press conference on behalf of the common workers.