Stalemate continues over firing of tea worker

For the third consecutive day, the workers of Luhaiuni Tea Garden, in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar, staged demonstrations on Thursday, to press home their 11-point demands that include job reinstatement of a fellow worker.

The tea workers have been holding agitations as the authorities closed the garden indefinitely since Wednesday morning.

Worker Shyamal Pachi said on May 20, without issuing any prior notice or warning, Assistant Manager Nazrul and Gatekeeper Sadhu cut down a tree that he had planted inside the garden.

Referring to Section 26 (Ka) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, they terminated his job on May 22, as he protested their chopping down his tree the other day, he claimed. 

Under Section 26 (Ka), job of any worker can be terminated without showing any reason.

The job termination of Shyamal Pachi on May 22 sparked a workers' unrest at the garden and the workers have been gathering there to press home their 11-point demands that include reinstatement of his job.

Ajit Kairi, president of the tea garden Panchayat committee, said on June 22 morning, when the workers took position in front of the garden office and threatened to call a strike, the authorities called police in and declared indefinite work suspension.

That same day, a 13-member delegation led by Satya Narayan, a member of the local union parishad, met Mabud Ali, the garden's general manager.

But while talking to reporters, Mabud claimed that Shyamal Pachi tried to attack the garden's assistant manager with a sharp weapon after an altercation on May 20, Ajit also said.  

Habibur Rahman, sub-inspector of Kulaura Police Station, said police have been maintaining law and order in the garden since Wednesday morning and the workers had been hold demonstrations peacefully.