OUR CORRESPONDENT, Moulvibazar

Nearly 2,500 tea garden workers and their family members in Sylhet yesterday blocked Sylhet-Companiganj-Bholaganj regional highway for three hours to press home their 11-point demands, including payment of their 20 weeks’ arrears.

The protest began around 12:30pm in Lakkatura area and brought traffic to a standstill.

They later withdrew the blockade at around 3:30pm following assurances from the local administration, and issued a three-day ultimatum, warning of tougher movement if their demands are not met within the deadline.

The workers demanded the government to cancel the lease of Burjan Tea Company, take over operations of the garden, and ensure immediate disbursement of unpaid wages and rations.

Suhag Chatri, a tea workers’ leader, said workers have become frustrated over repeated promises of payment that have yet to be fulfilled.

Sanjay Kanta Das, adviser to the Bangladesh Tea Workers’ Federation, said the workers have also not received their ration and bonuses for several months.

The blockade led to severe traffic congestion and sufferings to commuters.

Army personnel managed to create passage for emergency vehicles, including an ambulance caught in the gridlock.

Contacted, Md Kamruzzaman, manager of Burjan Tea Garden, said, “We are facing this problem because the Krishi Bank has not allocated us loans due our previous default loans. Last year we could not make any profit due to high production costs.”

Khushnoor Rubaiyath, upazila nirbahi officer of Sylhet Sadar, said she spoke with both the workers’ representative and the tea garden’s mangaer. “Cooperation of the higher authorities is needed to take a decision that benefits the tea workers,” the UNO added.