Surrounded by greenery, a dirt road bisects the vast area. Somewhere there are high and low crooked mountains. Every year many tourists come here to see the greenery. But not many people know about the hardships of these green-wearing garden workers. Even in the modern era who are victims of medieval exploitation? The cries of the workers may not reach the upper door.
Chando Bhuiyan, a worker at a rented tea plantation in Srimangal, Moulvibazar, lost his mother and father when he was young. He got married at the age of 17. The first child will be born next year. At the age of 19, he started working as a tea worker. He has been working at this plantation for Finley Company for 18 years.
Family of seven including husband and children. Of the three sons, the remaining two are in-laws. Boys are victims of deprivation in the family. The eldest son stopped at the elementary level after turning eighteen. Mej’s son has studied up to the first standard. The ignorant little boy does not know whether to study or not. The husband is unemployed for 20 days of the month. For the rest of the days go to town and eat oranges.
Chando Bhuiyan wakes up early every morning to prepare salt tea made from dried leaves, flour bread, and bharta made from tea leaves as rations for the family members. Around 8 pm I go to the garden with tea, bread, and tea leaves. Wages do not support the family. So over time. Very little is eaten at home in the afternoon. Asha bundles of food to take along. Sometimes her husband is at work, sometimes at home. And the responsibility of the elder son is to look after the younger ones. Sometimes take the kids with you.
A social puja was held there two months ago. During this time, the workers collect the subscription from all the houses and cook chicken meat. But the amount was very less. Besides, khichuri is eaten during Durga Puja and outside food is eaten during other pujas. I don’t even see biryani, chicken
Chando Bhuiyan, tea worker
He said that 22 kg of tea leaves have been fixed in his garden. But the wages you get in return are nothing. Need to borrow money. Overtime is required for this. He returned home in the afternoon after overtime work. Then it’s time to finish dinner. Bharta made with flour and boiled potatoes and tea leaves. Even elderly in-laws sometimes have to buy rice. On the day he buys the rice, he cooks three parts and deposits one part in a pitcher. He fell into this urn when a relative came suddenly.
When asked when he last had a good meal, Chando smiled. He said there was a social puja two months ago. At that time, all the houses of Sramikpara collected the subscription and everyone cooked and ate chicken meat. But the amount was negligible. Apart from the daily routine, Khichuri is eaten during Durga Puja and other pujas. He said he did not even see biryani and chicken.
The children were earnest, so on Wednesday they borrowed 20 rupees from the nephew and bought fresh fish. They can also be counted in numbers. Again the fish is rotten. Chando Bhuiyan said that dead fish were brought from Srimangal Sadar. Often rots when brought. That’s why fish worth 300 takas are sold for 100 takas. Many people are unable to buy due to a lack of money.
He said, earlier rice was given as a ration. It has been closed for 4-5 years. Now flour is given.
When asked when he last bought new clothes, Chando Bhuiyan told Dhaka Post on Wednesday that the money we get as a wage does not support us properly, how can we buy new clothes? Still, The lives of almost all tea workers like Chando Bhuya are full of such sad stories. They quench the hunger with salt tea. But those who have someone other than tea workers at home, whose children are migrant workers, their position is slightly better than others. the kids are serious, there are old in-laws in the house. I try to buy new clothes for them every year in Durga Puja. New clothes and where! Washed clothes. Buy that between 150 to 350 taka. Everyone knows how good clothes can be found in the bargain market. I was able to buy last year’s Durga Puja, I don’t know what will happen this time.
Workers said that a leaf can be picked from a tea plant after 6 months and a full leaf is obtained after two to two and a half years. Workers have to do everything from planting tea plants to tending, picking tea leaves, and processing. But still, they are not being paid fair wages. The lives of workers are disturbed by various regulations.
Tea leaves are useless if not picked within three days
Tea leaves are called molten gold. This page has a strange rule. After picking a young leaf from a plant, no more leaves are picked from that plant for seven to nine days. Then there are new buds and leaves. It should be picked within three days of new leaves. Picking a leaf once is called ‘one round’. Then two to three buds can be picked. Once the leaves are grown they are no longer useful. The quality of large-leaf tea is not good. Because of this, many times the garden authorities do not pick it up. Because they claim, that it does not include their cost of production. If tea picking is stopped for one day during the peak season, the plantation owners lose 15 to 20 crore rupees.
Powdered tea leaves do not reach the workers’ foreheads
Chand Bhuiyan said, after we pick the tea leaves and deliver them to the factory, the leaves are processed and made into powdered tea leaves. But no workers get these powdered tea leaves. That’s why we pick the tea leaves (raw tea leaves) and dry them in the sun. Then make salt tea with them and eat it. Again the whole work has to be done behind the eyes of the owner. If you see someone taking tea leaves, scold.
The owner gets Tk 1800 tea, the worker gets Tk 120
A laborer has to pick 22 to 24 kg of tea leaves per garden. These four months from May to August are full of tea leaves. At this time, many people pick more tea leaves over time. Talking to the workers and owners, it is known that 6 kg of powdered tea is produced by putting 24 kg of leaves into the machine. The owner says that the price of tea leaves is not more than their cost. That is why they are going towards losses.
Mohsin Mia Madhu, the owner of Mohsin Tea Holding (Govindrashree Cha Bagan) told Dhaka Post that now tea costs around Tk 170 per kg. And sold at 170-80 taka.
But Champa Naidu, President of the Tea Students Union, says otherwise. He said that one kg of tea leaves is sold at a minimum of Tk 300. Accordingly, the price of 6 kg of tea leaves is 1800 taka. These workers are getting only 120 rupees.
The owner deducts 7 taka and gives the worker 1 and a half taka
The program of deducting money and paying wages for picking more or less tea of a certain weight in the garden is going on. In this case, there are different rules for the owner and the worker.
Tea worker Kajal Roy said that her workplace is a Karimpur tea plantation owned by Duncan Brothers. 20 kg standard tea has to be picked. But if more is raised, workers are paid 1.5 rupees per kg. And for less, a deduction of seven rupees per kg is made.
There is also a different picture depending on the garden. Kalighat tea garden worker Sanjay Tati said, there is 22 kg of tea leaves to be picked on the paper. But sometimes 24 kg or more is lifted with us. But the salary is 120 rupees. Accordingly, I get 5 takas if I pick a kg of leaves. Many people cannot survive on this money. So they do overtime. In this case, 4 and a half rupees is given for every kg.
The summons is a terror to many
For the work done by plantation workers throughout the week, wages are paid on a particular day of the week. This is called summoning. Each garden summons on a different day of the week. On that day, all the workers have to stand in line according to the serial and collect the full week’s wages. In this case, only the owner can be seen from one side, but nothing can be said even if there is confusion after taking the money.
Sunday is a weekly holiday in tea gardens. If someone works for the remaining 6 days, he is paid 7 days wages on a daily basis of Tk 120. However, the workers complain that someone has worked for six days, but the owner says that he has worked for five days. And those who do not understand calculations, give many of them 400-500 out of 840 in weekly wages. They cannot say anything in front of the owner.
Warning charge sheet
The tea workers said that if anyone complains about something on the summoning day, he is marked. Later he was given a charge sheet on any pretext. A charge sheet is like a yellow card. It is a warning that if someone does the same thing again, he will be thrown out of the garden.
Parvez Kairi, Srimangal Area Coordinator of Conscious Citizen Committee (SANAK) told Dhaka Post that most of the workers do not know Bengali properly. But these charge sheets are in English, which the workers cannot understand. They are given charge sheets in such difficult English, that they do not fear and stand against the owners.
