Tea workers will be given rights to land

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has assured tea workers who have been landless for almost 150 years of rights to their land.

In a virtual exchange meeting on Saturday afternoon, the Prime Minister said, "Bangabandhu provided the tea workers rights to vote, citizenship, and it cannot be that they remain landless. I will definitely provide them the rights to land."

"I will definitely make arrangements so that all the tea workers get a house, especially the rights to land. If there is no right to land, a man has no respect," the premier told the workers virtually connected from Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar and Chattogram. 

She said, "The government is working so that no one remains landless in Bangladesh. Houses are being built for the landless and the tea workers will not be landless either."

In reference to education of tea workers' children, she said, "There are schools in the tea gardens. I will take initiatives to nationalise these schools and talk to the Ministry of Education."

She also stressed the need for improving the treatment facilities in tea garden areas. She said ambulances and doctors should be kept in every garden. 

The government will take the initiative to set up community clinics next to every garden, she added.

In view of the demand of women tea workers for maternity leave of 6 months, she said, "It is a very fair demand. The job of tea workers is a very risky one. I will take measures to make their maternity leave 6 months."

The prime minister also showed the golden bangles she received from tea workers as a gift. 

"You have come to Ganabhaban with gifts for me. I have never received such an expensive gift, such honour in my life. You gave it to me by saving Tk1-Tk2. It is an absolute gift of my life."

Eight tea garden workers from four districts spoke at the virtual meeting.