PM calls for further development of tea industry

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday asked owners and workers to work together for further development of the country's industry and save it from collapse.

"The tea industry is very important for us. Tea is a foreign exchange earning crop and so this industry must not be destroyed," she said.

The prime minister was exchanging views with the tea garden workers of Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Sylhet and Chattogram districts through video conference from her official residence Ganabhaban.

Hasina said that her government has been working for improving the living condition of tea workers since assuming office ensuring what is due to them as citizens of Bangladesh.

She recalled that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave them citizenship while he was the industries minister in 1954.

"For this reason I think that we have some extra responsibilities towards you. We always tried to solve your problems," she told the workers.

The PM reminded the workers how she fixed their daily wages at Tk 170 from Tk 120 after a meeting with the owners. Some other facilities have also been increased to ensure a better conditions for workers, she said.

She said that the government has taken measures so that the owners treat workers with dignity and properly look after them.

The premier briefly described the initiatives her government has taken for the overall development of the country. She said that the government has taken programmes to provide a home along with the land to every homeless family.

She also said that the government took steps to ensure the basic needs of the people including medicare facilities.

She said that due to the Coronavirus pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war the prices of various essential items have gone up significantly.

"The wave of that blow has reached Bangladesh too. We are trying to provide food to the people at fair prices to help them sustain with their earnings," she said.

Later, she gave patient hearings to the tea workers who spoke from the four districts.

The PM held the meeting with the workers a week after she fixed the new daily wages for them following their demands.

The owners also agreed to raise other benefits, including plucking bonus (benefit for plucking additional tea leaves), festival bonus, earned leave and sick leave allowances, provident fund, ration card and retirement facilities proportionately.