About 80 thousand labourers, working in the country's tea industry, will exercise their voting right to choose leadership as initiative has been taken to hold first ever election of Bangladesh Tea Labour Union after the country 's independence.

On September 21, election of ponchayet' (garden unit) and valley' (regional unit) of the union will take place while election of local and central committee will be held on September 23, sources said.

There are seven 'valleys' com- prising 163 tea gardens in the country. The valleys are Juri (Mouivibazar), Longla (Mouivibazar), Monu-Dholai (Mouivibazar), Balishira (Mouivibazar), Laskarpur (Hobiganj), and two in Chittagong .acid Sylhxldistricts, xc nn h ,

Sources at Labour House at Srimongal said a total of 240 'ponchayet'committees will be elected for 163 tea gardens. After election of 'valley committees', elected members will give vote to elect eight-member central committee including its president and general secretary.

Mouivibazar Deputy Commissioner has been appointed as chief election commissioner for the election of Bangladesh Tea Labour Union.

Authorities on August 11 took the decision to hold election of Bangladesh Tea Labour Unipn.

Tea Labour Union leaders said Rajendra Proshad Banerjee had served as president of the organisation without any election for the last 34 years. A few years ago, tea labourers started movement to press home their demand to constitute the committee in a democratic way.