[🇧🇩] Tea Industry of Bangladesh

[Saif]

Overview of the Tea Industry of Bangladesh: Current Challenges and Future Potentials

Tea is a non-alcoholic drink that has been an inseparable part of the life of Bangladeshi people for ages. This beverage has always been associated with happiness, refreshment, and rejuvenation. Additionally, tea even has numerous medicinal values. Exporting tea has been one of the major sources of earning foreign currency for Bangladesh for many years. However, as Bangladeshi people started having higher disposable income with an increased tendency to have tea as part of their daily drinking habits, domestic demand proliferated intensely. A record amount of 96,500 tonnes in 2021 production of tea wasn’t enough to fully meet the local demand, let alone export any significant portion of it.

Recently, the tea industry of Bangladesh has faced some volatility due to the tea workers’ protests regarding the daily wage issue and various other challenges. That said, this industry certainly holds numerous opportunities for growth and innovation which can scale up the production of tea and contribute to increasing export volume.

Tea Industry in the Global Context​

The tea industry on an international level has been growing during the past years due to increased customer interest in a variety of tea flavors, premium tea products, practical and perceived health benefits of tea, and higher disposable incomes. According to FAO, the value of the world tea trade is around USD 9.5 billion while global tea production amounts annually to more than USD 17 billion. There have been marked expansions of tea production in the major tea-producing countries. Simultaneously, many emerging and developing economies have been driving the growth in demand. While doing so, these countries have also been able to provide working opportunities and empowerment to their rural households and communities. The estimated world tea production in 2021 is 6.5 million tonnes which are slightly more than 2020’s production of 6.3 million tonnes. China had the largest contribution of 47% to world tea production while India holds the second position in this regard. These two countries reached 3.1 million and 1.33 million tonnes of tea production respectively in 2021. Now apart from the challenge of recovering from the disruption created by the Covid-19 pandemic that had impacted the global tea industry as a whole, a newer obstacle of this industry is the Russian-Ukrainian war since Russia has been one of the key importers of Indian tea for years. The country’s also a major producer of three main types of fertilizers- nitrogen, phosphate, and potash (NPK). So, countries that relied on Russia for the supply of fertilizers are suffering right now due to the war.

Figure 1: Tea production in major tea-producing countries (in 2020 and 2030)

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Background of the Tea Industry in Bangladesh​

The production of tea in the region of Bangladesh has a history of more than 180 years. According to popular belief, the first commercial tea garden was initiated as the “Malnicchara Tea garden”, near the current airport road of Sylhet. The number of commercial tea estates and gardens is 167 at present, covering an area of 2,79,507 acres which produce an average of 67,400 tonnes of tea every year. Even though 15,00,000 people are directly employed in the tea industry, the number of people indirectly associated with the related industries is a whole lot more. The level of domestic consumption of tea is increasing at a very fast pace. In 1990, the local consumption was only 18,190 tonnes which in 2016 turned into a whooping 67,031 tonnes.

However, the production of tea also increased with time (from 45,190 tonnes in 1990 to 58,050 tonnes in 2016) but that certainly wasn’t enough to cover the whole local demand and still be able to export to foreign countries. As a result, while Bangladesh exported 26,970 tonnes in 1990, after 26 years, the number dropped down to only 77 in 2016. The import of tea also increased in the meantime, which had been 2,000 tonnes in 2010 and 8,200 tonnes in 2016. Currently, this second cash crop of the country is contributing to 1% of the GDP and makes up 1.89% of global production. Apart from Moulvibazar, Habigonj, Sylhet, Chittagong, Panchagarh, and a few more areas of the country right now contribute to the majority of the production.

Bangladesh Tea Board or BTB is the main regulatory body of the tea industry of the country along with its two organs namely the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) and the Project Development Unit (PDU).

Labour Situation of the Tea Industry​

While the tea workers have been exploited by plantation owners for a very long period, the issue was brought in front of the mass only recently when these workers started a massive protest demanding 300 BDT (USD 3.15) as their wage per workday, which previously had been BDT 120 (USD 1.25) only. This extremely low level of daily wage along with rising inflation and price hike has been diminishing the lifestyle of the tea garden workers miserably. On top of that, they live in some of the remotest areas of the country for which they barely get any sort of medical and educational facilities. These workers, during the initial period of plantations, were recruited from the famine-afflicted underprivileged tribal demographics, by alluring them with a promise of a better life, although the true motive was to ensure a captive labor force with low wages. Since then, tea garden workers have been working for five generations throughout the last 170 years and the current situation of these workers requires the attention and support of the authority.

Even though the tea garden owners argue to provide USD 4 a day in the form of facilities like a medical fund, retirement benefits, and so on, in reality, tea workers are getting hardly 3 kg flour of ration per week to keep them half-starved most of the time while 46% adolescents are victims of child marriage and 15% females suffer from cervical cancers. The protest of these workers did end with the daily wage being finalized at 170 BDT per day with the intervention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, but the question remains, that if this amount is still sufficient for these workers, described as “modern-day slaves” by journalist and director of SEHD (Society for Environment and Human Development) Philip Gain, to have required health facilities or a sustainable lifestyle.

Key market players in the Tea Industry​

Presently there are multiple brands in the industry such as Ispahani Mirzapore Tea, James Finlay Bangladesh, Kazi and Kazi, Duncan Brothers Bangladesh Limited, Abul Khair Group, Orion Group, Transcom Group, Fresh Tea from MGI, and so on. The market leader, however, is Ispahani Mirzapore, with a market share of 50% in the market of nationally branded tea and an 80% share in the branded tea bag market. The market size of the industry was BDT 3500 crore in 2021 and in the same year, the export earnings were BDT 180.57 million.

In the previous year, the country exported tea worth USD 4.33 million, being the 56th largest tea exporter in the world. In that year Pakistan was the country with the highest amount of tea imported from Bangladesh valued at USD 2.27 million. The other destinations of Bangladeshi tea were United Arab Emirates (USD 1.15M), the United States (USD 6,25,000), Kuwait (USD 67,000), and Canada (USD 63,500). The basic five types of tea that are produced by these companies are black tea, green tea, oolong tea, white tea, and instant tea.

Figure 2: Tea Export Earnings from 2012-2021

Underlying Challenges​

The tea industry in Bangladesh is facing multiple challenges at this moment. The fact that the amount of export is continuously decreasing has already been discussed earlier. Apart from that, there are various other issues to deal with.

Antiquated Irrigation System​

The country’s current irrigation system is almost ancient which scales down the level of production to a great extent. While countries like Kenya and Sri Lanka have per hectare productivity rates of 2321 and 1763 kg respectively, that of Bangladesh is even lower than the world average, being only 1245 kg.

Dependency on Single Source of Labour​

The country’s tea industry labour force is composed of only the tribal casts who have been in this workforce for several generations. But since both the local and global demand is increasing, if the source of labour is not diversified, then very shortly there will be an acute shortage of labour. Even the existing labour force receives a very low level of daily wage, deals with social issues like child marriage, and has access to almost no medical or educational facilities. The substandard lifestyle of theirs makes them demotivated to work and reduces their productivity to some extent.

Climate Change​

Finally, global warming is a major concern since maintaining the optimum weather condition is absolutely crucial but in recent times, global warming repercussions appeared either in the form of excessive rainfalls, thunderstorms, and increased air humidity, or no rain at all as droughts. Both these situations result in low yields of tea production.

Lack of Customer Interest for Premium Quality Tea​

While local customers are becoming more and more habituated with tea drinking habits, they have little interest in high-quality tea variants due to the premium pricing of such products.

That said, the market of premium quality tea is quite different when it’s in the international context. In regions like Europe and America, these premium teas have very promising demand. Apart from that, the tea industry of Bangladesh has many other growth potentials and scopes for innovation.

Growth Potentials and Innovation​

The tea industry, despite dealing with some challenges, does offer some amazing opportunities to grow further in the future. Both the local and global demand for traditional and high-quality tea is on the rise so if the country manages to scale up the production, that would result in a high return on investment since the demand is higher than the supply at this point.

The governmental policy regarding the tea industry has also been favourable since the beginning. With its assistance, tea production has already been initiated in the plain lands of the northern region of the country including Panchagarh and Thakurgaon. Utilizing unused and idle plain land which cannot be used for any other agro-based production anyway, if those lands can be used for tea production instead, then this would definitely contribute to the meeting increasing demand for tea, both in the home and global market. The government now is expected to facilitate the innovation of new variants of tea, while enhancing production, marketing, and auctioning. The transformation of flat lands as cultivable for tea prediction has been extremely promising so far since 12% of the current total production is from these areas.

Since the demand is increasing at a very fast pace, utilization of flat lands for tea production is crucial. One contemporary innovative approach in this industry is promoting tea as a skincare and beauty product. Using the by-products of tea leaves and using them for making skincare products can be a whole new industry that could not only cater to the home demand for beauty products but also be exported as well since tea is internationally known for its medicinal and health values.

Finally, proper marketing strategies for the newly introduced tea variants such as ginger, matcha, turmeric, cumin, etc. could contribute more to the local sales of these products.

The Future Ahead​

The current focus at this point should be to figure out ways to increase domestic production as much as possible so that tea products can be exported even after meeting the local demand properly. For that, there is no alternative to modern and artificial irrigation systems to deal with unpredictable or hostile weather conditions that cannot create any impediments. The ancient tea bushes with plunging production ability should be replaced with new trees because tea plants usually lose their peak productivity rate after a certain period of time. Moreover, using natural fertilizers in the plantation gardens should be prioritized as well. The other tea-producing countries are currently having a huge competitive advantage due to the low cost of production and high productivity.

In Bangladesh, the existing labour force should be provided with higher daily wages to enhance their quality of lifestyle and adequate training facilities to level up their skills and productivity. The present cultivable land is insufficient to increase both the export amount and satisfy the local consumption, so the authorities should patronise and encourage more the utilization and expansion of such land as well. Modernization of the supply chain, minimization of impurity, and magnification of the marketing efforts for the newly introduced variants of tea could be the way to maximize the production of the tea industry in this country.

 

[Saif]

Tea Production

Tea Production

bangladesh.uz

TEA PRODUCTION​

Tea industry

The tea industry sustained major damage during the war of liberation in 1971. The Bangladesh government appointed a committee in 1972 to investigate into the problems faced by the tea planters. Some useful suggestions were: (a) to raise productivity, (b) to reduce cost of production, and (c) to promote and strengthen the process of marketing. About 0.15 million people are directly employed in the tea industry. Many more people are indirectly employed in other sectors related to tea processing and business. In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s overseas firms remained in the dominant position both in area and in production. In 2010 the number of tea gardens was 162.

Bangladesh exports tea to Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, KSA, Kyrgyz Republic, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sudan, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, UK and USA.

History of Bangladesh Tea Industry dates back to 1840 when a pioneer tea garden was established on the slopes of the hills in Chittagong where the Chittagong Club now stands. First commercial tea garden was established in 1857 at Mulnichera in Sylhet. During the partition in 1947, Bangladesh (the then East Pakistan) owned 103 tea estates, covering 26,734 hectares of tea plantation with annual production of 18.36 M.Kg. with an yield of about 639 Kg. per ha. Home consumption was around 13.64 M. Kg. upto 1955. After that home consumption went up rapidly and Government imposed 3% mandatory extension of tea area per year in 1961. Ten years later by 1970, tea area was extended to 42,658 hectares and production was incrased to 31.38 M.Kg.

During liberation war in 1971, our tea industry suffered colossal damages which resulted in poor management, high vacancies, insufficient inputs, dilapidated factory machinery, inadequate maintenance etc. leading to lower yield and poor quality of tea. But the industry soon got a big push on behalf of the government through a massive development program (BTRP-1980-92) with the financial and technical assistance of the British ODA and EEC and production increased to 65.84 million kg. with per/ha. yield of 1255kg. in 2013.

Types of Tea

In presence, there are almost 30 countries producing 70% black tea, 25% green tea and the remaining 5% consisted of oolong tea. Like black tea, green and oolong tea are widely made in Asian countries to consume as a beverage and has been familiar in China and Japan from centuries.

• Green tea (i.e.) unfermented tea

Green tea is derived solely and exclusively, and produced by acceptable processes, notably enzyme inactivation and commonly rolling or comminution, followed by drying, from the tender leaves, buds, and shoots of varieties of the species Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze, known to be suitable for making tea for consumption as a beverage.

Green tea, called non-fermented tea has a more subtle, delicate flavour, and far less caffeine than fermented tea, is medicinally beneficial because the non-fermented leaves retain a higher concentration of natural vitamins and polyphenols than fermented counterparts.

• Black tea (i.e.) fully fermented tea

Black tea is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong, green and white teas. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor than the less oxidized teas. Two principal varieties of the species are used – the small-leaved Chinese variety plant (C. sinensis subsp.sinensis), used for most other types of teas, and the large-leaved Assamese plant (C. sinensis subsp. assamica), which was traditionally mainly used for black tea, although in recent years some green and white have been produced.

• Oolong tea (i.e.) partially fermented tea

Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea produced through a unique process including withering the plant under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea especially good for digestion, is advised to take after a large meal. The chemical compositions counted in semi-fermented oolong tea are in the ranges of non-fermented green tea to fully fermented black tea. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties. Oolong is especially popular with tea connoisseurs of south China and Chinese expatriates in Southeast Asia.

• Instant tea (i.e.) water soluble tea

In recent times, "instant teas" are becoming popular, similar to freeze-dried instant coffee. Similar products also exist for instant iced tea, due to the convenience of not requiring boiling water. Instant tea was developed in the 1930s, but not commercialised until later. Nestlé introduced the first instant tea in 1946, while Redi-Tea introduced the first instant iced tea in 1953. These products often come with added flavours, such aschai, vanilla, honey or fruit, and may also contain powdered milk. Tea connoisseurs tend to criticise these products for sacrificing the delicacies of tea flavour in exchange for convenience.

• White tea

White tea is a lightly oxidized tea grown and harvested primarily in China, mostly in the Fujian and Zhejiang province. More recently it is grown in Taiwan, India, Northern Thailand and Eastern Nepal. White tea comes from the buds and leaves of the Chinese Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves and buds are allowed to wither in natural sunlight before they are lightly processed to prevent oxidation or further tea processing. The name "white tea" derives from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant, which gives the plant a whitish appearance. The beverage itself is not white or colourless but pale yellow.



Internal Production, Consumption & Export

Year	Production (M. Kg)	Internal Consumption (M. Kg)	Export (M. Kg)	Export Value (M. Tk)
2001	53.15	36.95	12.92	894.99
2002	53.62	41.50	13.65	939.93
2003	58.30	37.44	12.18	915.07
2004	56.00	43.33	13.11	934.04
2005	60.14	43.30	9.01	742.62
2006	53.41	40.51	4.79	469.59
2007	58.19	46.27	10.56	899.01
2008	58.66	52.12	8.39	976.95
2009	59.99	53.74	3.15	433.50
2010	60.04	57.63	0.91	176.68
2011	59.13	58.50	1.47	213.51
2012	62.52	61.19	1.50	222.28
2013	66.26	64.00	0.54	133.04
2014	63.88	67.17	2.66	281.72
2015	67.38	62.26
Year​	Production ( Million kg)​	Internal consumption ( Million kg)​	Export ( Million kg) ​	Export Value ( Million Tk)​
2010​	60.04​	57.63​	0.91​	176.68​
2011​	59.13​	58.50​	1.47​	213.51​
2012​	62.52​	61.19​	1.50​	222.28​
2013​	66.26​	64.00​	0.54​	133.04​
2014​	63.88​	67.17​	2.66​	281.72​

 

[Saif]

Govt sets daily minimum wage at Tk 168 for tea garden workers

The government has set Tk 168 as the daily minimum wage for the tea garden workers with free accommodation and treatment facility. The labour ministry on Thursday issued a gazette notification announcing...

www.newagebd.net

Govt sets daily minimum wage at Tk 168 for tea garden workers​

Staff Correspondent | Published: 22:53, Aug 13,2023

A file photo shows workers picking green leaves at a tea garden in Sylhet. The government has set Tk 168 as the daily minimum wage for the tea garden workers with free accommodation and treatment facility. — New Age photo

The government has set Tk 168 as the daily minimum wage for the tea garden workers with free accommodation and treatment facility.

The labour ministry on Thursday issued a gazette notification announcing the minimum wages for tea garden workers and employees.

As per the recommendations made by the Minimum Wage Board, the daily wage of category-C garden workers has been set at Tk 168, the notification reads.

The daily minimum wages for the workers of category A and category B have been set at Tk 169 and Tk 170 respectively.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Tea Workers Union said that the wage board brought the prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s announcement over the wages under a legal framework.

‘Amid protests of tea garden workers demanding the daily minimum wage of Tk 300, the prime minister on August 27 in the past year announced increasing the wage to Tk 170 following a meeting with tea garden owners,’ a former secretary of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union Ram Bhajan Koiry told New Age on Sunday.

Amid the price hike of essentials, tea garden workers on August 9, 2022 started observing a two-hour work abstention in all gardens across the country to press for their demand for increasing their daily wage to Tk 300 and they announced an indefinite strike starting on August 13, 2022.

Ram Bhajan said that the Minimum Wage Board had made its recommendations as per the announcement of the prime minister.

‘We are not agreed with the decision announced by the labour ministry as the Minimum Wage Board has made its recommendations based only on the tea garden owners’ proposals,’ Ram Bhajan said.
He claimed that the workers union and garden owners signed an agreement to review wages through negotiations after every two years, but the owners violated their promise.

Earlier, the workers and the owners signed an agreement that workers would get wages equivalent to 52 weeks as festival allowance, but the wage board decided that the allowance would be equivalent to the wages of 47 weeks, Ram Bhajan said.

He said that there was no scope for cutting the existing benefits of workers during the revision of wages.

‘We have some observations on the new wage structure and the workers’ union would make its reactions public after holding a meeting on Thursday,’ Ram Bhajan said.

The minimum wage for tea garden workers was last set in 2010 at Tk 45 per day along with free accommodation and treatment facility.

Later, tea garden owners signed another agreement with the trade unions in the sector and increased the wages for workers twice after 2016 in the face of workers’ movement for pay hike.

As per the agreement, workers were getting the minimum wages at Tk 120 per day and the labour ministry in October 2019 issued a gazette notification, appointing representatives from owners and workers in the tea garden sector to the minimum wage board to review minimum wages.​

 

[Saif]

Tea auction prices fall to 12-year low despite record production in 2023

A total of 97.1 million kg of tea were sold at the three auction centres at an average price of 171.24 taka per kg – the lowest price since the 2011-21 season.

en.prothomalo.com

Tea auction prices fall to 12-year low despite record production in 2023
Masud MiladChattogram
Published: 12 May 2024, 08: 45

Women carry sacks of tea leaves at the Bharaura Tea Garden in Sreemangal of Moulvibazar.Prothom Alo file photo

Tea prices dropped to a 12-year low at an average of 171.24 taka at auctions, ending on 8 April, despite the record production in the country's history in 2023.

Tea production in Bangladesh goes back to the year 1840. As per the tea marketing rules, tea garden owners pick leaves, process those and then send tea to warehouses, from where broker houses collect samples and set the tea quality. After that, tea goes under the hammer weekly and is sold to the highest bidders. Buyers then collect tea from warehouses after paying taxes. Other than this, tea garden owners can sell tea at markets by packaging after paying a 25-per cent tax on produced tea.

There are currently three tea auction centres in Chattogram, Sreemangal of Moulvibazar and Panchagarh. Data from these three auction centres showed the record production and lowest price. Broker houses also released the information in their reports.


Prices fall to a 12-year low

A total of 94.8 million kg of tea was sold at 50 auctions in Chattogram in the 2023-24 season, fetching an average price of 171.91 taka per kg while 1.34 million kg of tea was sold at 25 auctions in Sreemangal of Moulvibazar at an average price of 171.38 taka per kg and 960,000 kg of tea was sold at 14 auctions in Panchagarh at an average price of 105.19 taka per kg.

Altogether, 97.1 million kg of tea were sold at the three auction centres at an average price of 171.24 taka per kg – the lowest since the 2011-21 season when the average tea price, according to data from Bangladesh Tea Board and brokers houses, dropped to as low as 156.14 taka a kg.

During this period, tea prices reached a maximum of 262.69 taka per kg in the 2018-19 season, totalling 20.86 billion taka from auctions.

Tea production was more than the demand in the outgoing season plus the quality of tea from plain lands was not good, triggering a fall in tea prices at auctions, a trader told Prothom Alo. However, the prices of tea with good quality were better. Average and low-quality tea prices were low.

Prices less than production costs

The tea industry sees a rise in production costs due to increased wages and equipment prices. According to the tea garden owners' organisation Bangladesh Tea Association (BTA), tea prices were lower at auctions than production costs, thus, tea growers face losses.

BTA said in a letter to the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission on 20 November 2023 that the average cost of tea production was 217 taka per kg in 2022. Production cost rose further in 2023, BTA president Kamran T Rahman said. According to the meeting minutes of a committee on fixing the minimum price of the tea board, tea production faced a loss of 4.65 billion taka in 2023.

Ways to save the tea industry

As tea prices at auctions were less than production costs, the tea board set a floor price for auctions for the 2024-25 season on a trial basis and the season's first auction was held on Monday.

Data from broker firms showed 1.4 million kg of tea were up for auction with 720,000 kg of tea being sold at an average price of 270.98 taka per kg whereas tea fetched an average price of Tk 249.23 taka per kg at the first auction in the last season. It indicates the tea board's step brought fruit.

Six floor prices or minimum prices have been fixed based on tea liquor. Broker firms will rate tea liquor after garden owners send samples to them. The minimum price of regular quality tea has been set at 160 taka per kg and the price ceiling will rise with the tea quality to 210 taka, 227 taka, 245 taka and 270 taka per kg gradually while the price of best quality tea has been fixed at 300 taka per kg.

BTA president Kamran T Rahman told Prothom Alo prices at auction are yet to meet the production costs. However, the step of the tea board is a positive sign and if it remains in place throughout the season then the tea industry can be saved.

* This report appeared in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna​

 

[Saif]

Dhaka’s tea trade

“Cha ar biskoot” (tea and biscuits) is Bangalee’s favourite quick grab. And strong and flavoursome tea is our favourite. Looking for premium tea in Dhaka can be a tad difficult now but once the city boasted dedicated shops that sold different grades and blends of local tea.

www.thedailystar.net

Dhaka's tea trade

"Cha ar biskoot" (tea and biscuits) is Bangalee's favourite quick grab. And strong and flavoursome tea is our favourite. Looking for premium tea in Dhaka can be a tad difficult now but once the city boasted dedicated shops that sold different grades and blends of local tea.

We get blended tea in plastic packets from our bazaar or local grocers but CTC (crush, tear, curl) pellets of orange pekoe in brown paper packets, tied with thin jute ropes are not a common sight anymore.

Despite a robust domestic tea market, we have very few specialised tea stores in Dhaka selling exclusive products. The Halda Valley Tea Lounge offers exclusive silver tips and orthodox black tea. However, before all these, New Market's kitchen market had a lone store selling loose tea.

The big wooden chests of tea lots were stacked inside the shabby shop. There were rows of tin boxes the sides of which were made of transparent glass to facilitate the buyers to pick their choice; the boxes were lined with different grades of teas. The containers were arranged according to the tea categories, which a real tea lover would be able to appreciate.

The narrow by-lanes of Kaptan Bazar also have some tea shops selling loose tea. They buy tea lots from Chattogram tea auction and boast that they supply tea to most of our local tea stalls, namely the roadside tongs or tea canteens, famous tea spots in Chawk Bazar, Nazira Bazar -- even to reputed restaurants.

Long ago there used to be a famous tea store in Shantinagar Bazar that sold different grades of tea and a variety of loose tea powders like orange pekoe, orthodox, fanning orthodox tea, and premium blend tea; I picked the name orange pekoe from that store and thus began my tea adventures impressed with the complexity of the taste.

Pekoe is a particular grade of black tea made from the downy tips of the young buds of the tea plant and does not have an orangey flavour or colour, just so that you know. The story goes as far as the Dutch coming to India and introducing the best black tea to the royals. Now, the Dutch royal family belonged to the House of Orange, so naturally when tea came down to the commoners, they nicknamed it orange pekoe to isolate the kind from other variants and blends.

Today, Dhaka's tea scene is going strong with exclusive tea bars offering premium loose tea. In the city's evolving tea scene, the legacy of teas persists despite challenges in the industry, highlighting a market coming to terms with new norms and preferences.

The reason why the tea industry is not doing well from a trader's perspective is primarily because there are no rules and regulations in the industry to monitor ethical trading practices. Some suppliers are directly procuring tea from gardens and distributing it to the retailers at a lower price compared to the ones bought from the auction. This prompt selling, that too on credit, has become a major risk factor in this industry.

The loss of the export market has also reduced the profitability of the tea industry as now all the traders are competing in the domestic market. Nevertheless, our thirst for a cup of good tea remains as strong as ever! Specially so when the rains come pouring.​

 

[Saif]

Tea workers’ rights must be protected

TEA workers, the most exploited section of the labour force, in Moulavibazar have taken to the streets, demanding their unpaid wages. About 1,500 workers of the state-owned National Tea Company Ltd on September 6 rallied demanding their wages unpaid for three weeks. Workers at the rally said...

www.newagebd.net

Tea workers’ rights must be protected
07 September, 2024, 21:33

TEA workers, the most exploited section of the labour force, in Moulavibazar have taken to the streets, demanding their unpaid wages. About 1,500 workers of the state-owned National Tea Company Ltd on September 6 rallied demanding their wages unpaid for three weeks. Workers at the rally said that their families were starving as the company has also suspended their ration and access to treatment. Workers also complained that the health centres do not have medicines. In addition, for 15 months, access to their provident fund has also been restricted. While tea worker leaders said that they would go for tougher programmes unless arrears were immediately paid, the management of the state-owned company said the administrative vacuum created following the dissolution of the board of directors is why they could not pay wages. The management, however, is uncertain when the board will be reconstituted. Denying workers due wages for bureaucratic reasons for weeks is unacceptable and the government should take action to resolve the crisis.

The irregular payment of wages and employment benefits is, rather, characteristic of the tea industry. Earlier in March, tea workers of Kuchai tea garden in Moulvibazar abstained from work over the announcement of reduced festival allowance. In July 2023, workers at Imam and Bhabani Tea Garden went on strike with five-point demands that included the payment of their wages and festival allowance, the reimbursement of the provident fund and ensuring their house rent and medical allowances. Besides, Tk 170 in daily wages for tea workers is inadequate amidst unprecedented food inflation. There are loopholes in laws and regulations that allow garden owners to make such arbitrary decisions and withhold worker’s festival allowance or severance payment. Tea workers do not receive 5 per cent of the net profit of the previous year of the company they work for, as specified by the Labour Act and the Workers’ Welfare Foundation Act. Rarely are any actions taken by the authorities against such gross violation of the labour law. Such denial and non-payment of legally entitled dues have become part of the culture in tea gardens.

The government must, therefore, take initiatives to protect rights of tea garden workers. It must take immediate steps to reconstitute the board of directors for the state-owned tea garden and end the economic hardship of tea workers in Moulavibazar. The labour law must be revisited to ensure that tea garden workers have the right to negotiate their minimum wage and employment benefits and garden owners cannot make an arbitrary decision to deny or withhold festival allowance or severance payment. In doing so, it must scrap the colonial protocols that shield the tea garden owners and allow them to exploit workers. The labour ministry must take steps to ensure effective monitoring of tea gardens so that labour rights are not violated.​

 

[Saif]

Stop the exploitation of tea workers in Bangladesh and fix the industry

Equal opportunities are no longer enough to bring the tea workers in Bangladesh out of their current conditions.

www.thedailystar.net

Stop the exploitation of tea workers in Bangladesh and fix the industry
Tea workers at Bawani tea garden in Habiganj

Women tea workers of Bawani tea garden in Habiganj carrying headloads of green tea leaves, on August 26, 2024. PHOTO: PHILIP GAIN

For nearly seven weeks, more than 12,000 tea workers in 12 tea gardens under the National Tea Company Limited (NTC) have been living in anxiety about the payment of their wages. After they were paid Tk 595 on August 12, which is half of the weekly payment, the payment was halted till September 25, the day they were paid another instalment of the same amount. This is pretty bad for these workers as the Durga Puja festivities are set to begin on October 9. Thankfully, they have not stopped work and production.

However, to keep the management under pressure, the tea workers blocked consignments of made tea out of the garden warehouses. After a negotiation with the management and relevant state agencies, they allowed the release of two consignments from Patrokhola Tea Estate in Moulvibazar's Kamalganj upazila, the largest tea garden of the NTC, and one consignment from each of the 11 other tea gardens on October 1. In exchange, they were paid a week's salary on the same day, confirmed Shipon Chakraborty, panchayat president of Patrokhola. Now the deal is, these workers will release the next consignments from the warehouses when the NTC management clears dues and bonus before Durga Puja.

What we see in the NTC gardens is bad management. NTC is a public limited company formed in 1978 under the Companies Act, 1913. The state holds 51 percent of the shares, and 49 percent are traded in Dhaka and Chattogram stock markets for the general public. Of its 12 tea gardens, seven are located in Moulvibazar, four in Habiganj, and one in Sylhet.

The NTC management, for which the government is responsible, is polluted by politics. The tea gardens, taken over by the government after independence, are located in a good topographic zone, yet they perform very poorly. According to a news report, between July and December of 2023, the company posted a net loss of Tk 26.66 crore. The company's lousy tea garden management is manifested in the look of its gardens: tea plants are sparse and without enough shade trees, among other things. The company's troubles have gotten worse since the sudden political change on August 5, following which the chairman of the company's board of directors, Sheikh Kabir Hossain, reportedly a relative of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has disappeared and the board has almost collapsed.

The tea workers and their lone union, Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union (BCSU), are trying to negotiate with the NTC management. Half-fed or with an empty stomach, these workers have been showing their patience and working regularly in the hope that the management will stay true to its words and clear the full payment of their due wages and bonus before Durga Puja, the biggest festival of Hindus in Bangladesh.

However, NTC now faces many insurmountable challenges. According to a top government official dealing with tea gardens, it has a debt of Tk 380 crore with the Bangladesh Krishi Bank. This year, the company requested for a loan of Tk 150 crore, but the bank sanctioned Tk 86 crore only, which got exhausted by July, said a government official dealing with tea gardens, on condition of anonymity. Per the arrangement of loan repayment, brokers in auction houses transfer the bank's share of sale proceeds directly to its account. The owners get their shares. But the workers are left with no other option but to block the made tea consignments.

While NTC gardens show serious anomalies—which is typical of state-run businesses—there are other private companies and proprietors in the industry that are also plagued with mismanagement and corruption that put their workers in deep crisis. The Imam and Bawani tea estates in Habiganj are a prime example here. The government official disclosed that Imam tea garden was completely shut down along with its factory in October last year after a prolonged crisis. The responsibility for the management of Bawani estate was vested on the deputy director of labour (DDL) in Sreemangal as a result. But the DDL has been having a hard time managing the estate. And the workers of these two gardens are also suffering.

The recent strike called by the Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union (BCSU) has brought the sufferings of our tea workers to the fore. They are demanding a minimum wage of Tk 300 a day to improve their day-to-day lives.

Another example of bad tea garden management is Fultala Tea Garden in Moulvibazar's Juri upazila. Around 1,600 workers in this tea garden have not gotten paid for 12 weeks, as a government official told me. The owner lives in London and has reportedly shut down the garden, though it is still in production to some extent because of the workers. With a bank loan of Tk 50 crore, the owner is in deep trouble, the government official disclosed.

The official further revealed that 79 tea gardens are in terrible shape. These gardens have not made their due contributions to the Provident Fund (PF) for months. Gas and power lines have been cut off in a number of the gardens for not paying the bills. Many of them are selling green tea leaves to other tea gardens for processing as their own factories are not running.

Tea workers busy at Bawani tea garden in Habiganj, on August 26, 2024. PHOTO: PHILIP GAIN

Many tea garden owners argue that they are in trouble because the price of tea has gone down while the production cost is rising. Indeed, the government has a policy to expand the tea-growing areas that contribute to increasing production.

Of course, there are examples of good companies that manage their gardens well, take good care of their workers within the existing framework, and make good profits. One such company is Ispahani Tea Limited, which has four gardens. The best among them is Zareen, located in Moulvibazar. While the average production per acre is around 1,600kg, its per acre production is 3,000kg, and the per acre production of all four gardens averages around 2,500kg, according to management. The price that the company gets is good. Almost all houses in the labour lines at Zareen Tea Estate are pucca. The condition of houses in other tea gardens of Ispahani are also much better than in other tea gardens. The workers get better deals with other fringe benefits, the Ispahani management claims.

It is in the best interest of the tea industry in Bangladesh, not to mention the workers, that changes happen for the better. The interim government, which has committed itself to reforms to end discrimination and inequality, should consider giving immediate attention to the tea industry that is in disarray as a whole. The tea garden workers, around 140,000 of them, and their community of around half a million people have been facing severe discrimination for generations, since the beginning of the industry during British colonial times.

First of all, the tea industry, specifically the tea gardens, need proper mapping. Good gardens and bad gardens need to be identified and the reasons must be explained for chalking out recommendations to bring the necessary changes so that none of the tea gardens are beyond scrutiny for mismanagement, corruption, and financial misappropriation. All parties involved with the tea industry must come under scrutiny and be made accountable.

Second, clear attempts must be made to ensure the well-being of tea garden workers, who are deprived of equal treatment and dignity as citizens of Bangladesh. To begin with, a just and respectable wage structure must be fixed for these workers. The former prime minister fixed their daily cash wage at Tk 170 in August 2022, which is certainly not fair. She was allegedly guided by the owners of tea gardens, and her move was political when the minimum wage board was made to fail. Now the time has come to overhaul the tea industry to ensure justice for the tea workers.

Another concern while dealing with their well-being is discrimination in the labour laws and regulations for them, and the owners' routine violation of several sections of the labour legislation, which cannot be justified in any way. While these anomalies have been exposed on various platforms, fresh consultations with tea workers, their trade union and others concerned, will definitely help bring out more details. It is a test for any government to make sure that the state agencies under the labour ministry who are responsible for executing the labour law and rules act honestly.

Tea garden workers, most of whom belong to minority communities, are largely invisible and voiceless. Wage deprivation and social exclusion from the British colonial times have rendered them a weak population, left behind in terms of education and economic progress. Equal opportunities are not enough for them. They deserve some preferential treatment to help them get out of their current condition. The interim government has a big responsibility here.

Philip Gain is researcher and director at the Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD).​

 

[Saif]

Tea workers should be paid dues in arrears early

THIS is unacceptable that the state-owned National Tea Company has not paid tea workers their wages for six weeks. The workers of 16 tea plantations of the Company have been on...

www.newagebd.net

Tea workers should be paid dues in arrears early
26 October, 2024, 00:00

THIS is unacceptable that the state-owned National Tea Company has not paid tea workers their wages for six weeks. The workers of 16 tea plantations of the Company have been on strike since October 21. Workers at the Madhabpur garden held protests at the main gate of the Madhabpur tea plantation at Kamalganj, Moulvibazar on October 24 and expressed their disappointment about not being paid their wages. Tea workers are one of the marginalised and deprived groups of workers and get even hardly a survival wage. No wage for six weeks has only exacerbated their situation. This is not the first time that the workers of the state-owned tea company have had to face such delayed wage payment. In the first week of September, the tea workers took to the streets, demanding their wages unpaid for three weeks. The tea company made the headlines a number of times for wrong reasons in the recent past. Workers complain that the company often suspends worker’s ration and their access to treatment. The health centres do not often have medicines. In addition, for 15 months, access to their provident fund has also been restricted.

While tea worker leaders say that they would go for tougher programmes unless arrears were immediately paid, the authorities seek to explain that the pending restructuring and reconstitution of the board of directors have caused the delay in wage payment as it is unable to get bank loans. The authorities are reported to have also explained that the board would be reconstituted soon and they would pay the wages. Denying the workers their due wage for bureaucratic reasons for weeks is unacceptable and the government should take action to resolve the crisis. The irregular payment of wages and employment benefits is, rather, characteristic of the tea industry. In March, tea workers of the Kuchai tea garden in Moulvibazar abstained from work over the announcement of a reduced festival allowance. In July 2023, workers at Imam and Bhabani Tea Garden went on strike with five-point demands that included the payment of their wage and festival allowance, the reimbursement of the provident fund and their house rent and medical allowances. Tea workers also do not receive 5 per cent of the net profit of the previous year of the company that they work for, in keeping to the labour law and the Workers’ Welfare Foundation Act. Besides and above all, the daily wage of Tk 170 for tea workers is inadequate amidst unprecedented food inflation.

The denial and non-payment of entitled dues of tea workers appear to have become part of the culture in tea gardens. The government should, therefore, address the issue, take initiatives to protect the rights of tea workers and set a living wage for them. The National Tea Company should immediately pay the workers their dues in arrears.​

 

[Saif]

Workers at 18 tea gardens give 48-hour ultimatum for payment of arrears

The workers of 18 tea gardens under National Tea Company Ltd (NTCL) in Sylhet have threatened to go on strike from Wednesday if their due wages are not cleared by Tuesday

www.thedailystar.net

Workers at 18 tea gardens give 48-hour ultimatum for payment of arrears

Tea workers put up a barricade on Osmani Airport Road in Ambarkhana area of the city on Sunday morning demanding payment of their dues. The workers of 18 tea gardens under National Tea Company Ltd (NTCL) in Sylhet have threatened to go on strike from Wednesday if their due wages are not cleared by Tuesday. Photo: Sheikh Nasir/Star

The workers of 18 tea gardens under National Tea Company Ltd (NTCL) in Sylhet have threatened to go on strike from Wednesday if their due wages are not cleared by Tuesday.

The workers of NTCL including Lakkatura Tea Garden put up a barricade on Osmani Airport Road in Ambarkhana area of the city on Sunday morning demanding payment of their dues.

They withdrew their blockade programme after two hours.

They also said their work abstention programme will continue as before.

Workers said they have not received wages for the past six weeks. They said they had been surviving on rations for the past two months.

However, even the rations have not been provided for the past week, forcing them into extreme hardship, they added.

NTCL General Manager Emdadul Haque said the company's managing board had been non-operational due to the recent student protests, which caused their bank to withhold loans. As a result, the company has been unable to pay the workers.

He further said a new managing board has since been formed and expressed hope that the wages would be disbursed within the next week.

So far, around 1.20 lakh kg of tea leaves have been collected from 12 tea gardens, with an average daily production of 18,000 to 20,000 kg of tea leaves. However, the strike has led to significant financial losses for the company, he added.

The workers of Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj expressed solidarity with the movement.​

 

[Saif]

Govt urged to reform labour law to ensure tea workers’ rights

Labour experts on Thursday urged the government to reform certain sections of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, to safeguard accommodation, gratuity, casual leave and other service rights and benefits of tea workers. They made the call during a stakeholders’ meeting titled “Legal Reform

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Govt urged to reform labour law to ensure tea workers’ rights
UNB
Published :
Oct 31, 2024 21:41
Updated :
Oct 31, 2024 21:41

Labour experts on Thursday urged the government to reform certain sections of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, to safeguard accommodation, gratuity, casual leave and other service rights and benefits of tea workers.

They made the call during a stakeholders’ meeting titled “Legal Reform for the Tea Sector Workers, organised by the Solidarity Center in a hotel in Dhaka’s Topkhana area.

Their recommendations include amendments to Section 28 of BLA on pensions to ensure gratuity for tea workers, Section 115 of BLA on casual leave, Section 117 on earned leave, and Section 32 of BLA on eviction to ensure tea workers.

Md Habibur Rahman presented the keynote at the event while Khandaker Shafin Habib, Solidarity Center programme officer, moderated the event.

Representing the tea workers, Ram Bhajan Kairi said, “BLA is a discriminatory law. We all need to come forward to reform or scrap it, and if necessary, all those sections that deliberately exclude tea workers from exercising their rights. These are oppressive laws.”

Solidarity Country Program Director AKM Nasim said, “Tea sector workers have been historically neglected by all. Discussions and work concerning tea workers are often sporadic and isolated.”

He noted that there is a pressing need for comprehensive engagement with the tea workers, addressing all aspects of their lives and livelihoods. This approach must also consider making the tea industry a sustainable and vibrant sector.

Solidarity Center Deputy Country Program Director Monika Hartsel said, “Though tea workers are covered under the Bangladesh Labour Act, they do not enjoy the same protections as workers in other industries. In the spirit of the non-discrimination movement, it’s time to think more broadly about the most marginalised groups of workers.”

BILS Executive Director Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed said that wages is a settled issue since the days of slavery. Tea, being a two-hundred-year-old industry, still hasn’t settled this issue.

He said the workers cannot bear the burden of employers’ or the government’s failure to conduct commerce. “We must end the vicious practice of a tea worker’s children becoming tea workers.”

Nripen Paul, acting general secretary of Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union (BCSU), Poresh Kalindi, BCSU treasurer, Joint Secretary of labour ministry Raza Mia, Deputy Secretary of commerce ministry Tarafdar Sohel Rahman, Joint Inspector General of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment Mahfujur Rahman Bhuiyan, Bangladesh Labour Bar Association General Secretary Mohsin Mojumder, Tahsin Ahmed Chowdhury, convener of Bangladesh Tea Association Labor Committee, and Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies also spoke on the occasion.
​

 

[Saif]

Tea workers demo for arrears

Hundreds of tea workers took to the streets in Sylhet yesterday, demanding immediate payment of unpaid wages and rations.

www.thedailystar.net

Tea workers demo for arrears

Photo: Collected

Hundreds of tea workers took to the streets in Sylhet yesterday, demanding immediate payment of unpaid wages and rations.

Organised by the Sylhet District branch of the Bangladesh Trade Union Centre, the protest march highlighted the dire financial and humanitarian crisis faced by thousands of workers from tea estates across the region.

Abul Kalam Azad, acting president of the Sylhet District Trade Union Centre, presided over the rally.

Speakers urged the government and tea estate authorities to swiftly address the crisis and ensure the basic rights of tea workers. "Our struggle is not merely for wages; it's for survival and dignity," a labour leader declared.

The march, which began at 2:00pm from Keane Bridge premises and proceeded through Zindabazar, called for urgent government intervention to alleviate the plight of approximately 12,000 workers from 12 tea estates managed by the National Tea Company (NTC).

Workers alleged that they have been deprived of wages and rations for nearly three months, pushing their families to the brink of desperation.

Despite submitting memorandums to the government and staging a 26-day continuous strike, they claim no action has been taken, they added.

Protesters warned that over 40,000-50,000 individuals, including tea workers and their families, are now facing starvation.

"At a time when living costs are soaring, we are denied even the meager daily wage of Tk 178.50. How can we survive?" one protester questioned.

The workers demanded immediate implementation of a fair minimum wage structure for 2023-24, aligned with current market conditions, as well as regular payment of wages and rations. Other demands included full rations for families, land rights, democratic labour laws, and the resolution of disparities in casual and earned leave entitlements.

Key labour leaders, including Harinarayan Hazra, general secretary of the Moulvibazar Tea Workers Union, and other union representatives, also addressed the rally.

The protest concluded with a call for unity among workers and a pledge to continue their movement until their demands are met.​

 

[Saif]

National Tea out of production as workers demand arrears before joining work

Production at the state-run National Tea Company (NTC) has remained suspended for nearly three months as workers have abstained from work for non-payment of wages. Wages of around four months are due as the company suffers an acute shortage of working capital. About 12,000 permanent workers

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

National Tea out of production as workers demand arrears before joining work
Mohammad Mufazzal
Published :
Nov 25, 2024 01:06
Updated :
Nov 25, 2024 01:06

Production at the state-run National Tea Company (NTC) has remained suspended for nearly three months as workers have abstained from work for non-payment of wages.

Wages of around four months are due as the company suffers an acute shortage of working capital. About 12,000 permanent workers now seek the intervention of the government, with their demand for the arrears.

As per the auditors' report, workers' gratuity fund had zero balance as of June 30 last year, falling short by at least Tk 306 million. That means apart from unpaid wages NTC's workers are being deprived of guaranteed retirement benefits.

"Workers are not getting retirement benefits as pension and gratuity funds have no money," said Md. Abul Hossain, a director at the NTC board, nominated by the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB).

Meanwhile, work abstention and suspension of production threaten further losses in FY25.

Already, NTC's liabilities have exceeded assets by Tk 318 million, according to the company's latest financial statements for FY23.

With persistent losses since FY20, the company's negative earnings ballooned to Tk 2.12 billion until March this year.

To help the NTC overcome the working capital shortfall, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) approved its proposal in April 2023 to raise Tk 2.80 billion by issuing placement shares to existing shareholders.

As per the regulatory approval, the commerce ministry was supposed to subscribe to 31 per cent of the placement shares while the ICB and Sadharan Bima Corporation would each make 10 per cent of the equity investment.

But the ratio set for the distribution of placement shares to state-run enterprises led to the filing of a writ petition challenging the regulatory decision.

What do workers say?

Talking to the FE, Bijoy Chotri, whose parents are among the workers of the NTC, said tea workers had no other option of earning money in the tea states.

"It's tough to imagine the situation of 12,000 workers who are yet to get wages for more than three months."

The meager daily wage of Tk 170 that a worker is entitled to is far less than what is necessary given the rise in the prices of essentials.

Apart from the daily wage, permanent workers get up to 5 kilograms of rice or flour each week under a ration scheme. But those, who are not permanent, and the workers, who have been given a piece of land, are not within the purview of the scheme. In many cases, the lands given are not cultivable.

Nripen Paul, secretary of the Bangladesh Teach Workers Association, said around 70 per cent of the population in the tea states were fully dependent on tea gardens for their livelihoods.

The association sent letters to the chief adviser, ministries concerned and deputy commissioners of the Sylhet division, urging them to solve the problems surrounding the NTC.

"A solution is urgent for the sake of workers, shareholders' interests and the governments' revenue," Mr Paul said, adding that workers were willing to join work for their own existence.

High cost of operations

NTC's Director Abul Hossain said the company's cost of operations was higher than income as it was unable to process tea leaves properly and timely.

For the lack of capital, the company could not ensure tree plantation within the right time. On top of that, tea leaves could not be processed, maintaining quality due to rundown machines.

The NTC sells processed tea leaves at Tk 180 per kilogram at the auctions whereas the cost of the produce is Tk 250 per Kg.

Mr Hossain said the company started experiencing losses in 2020 following the outbreak of the Covid pandemic when the demand fell drastically.

Later, the company continued operations taking loans from Krishi Banka. The NTC now owes more than Tk 3 billion to banks.

To tackle the recent crisis of funds, the NTC sought a fresh loan of Tk 460 million from Krishi Bank to pay workers. But the bank has disbursed a very small amount.

Against this backdrop, those in the management are also not receiving salaries.

Mr Hossain said division and disagreements among employees were other major reasons behind the mismanagement at the NTC.

NTC to experience further revenue loss

The company's revenue had been on a persistent decline in the four years to FY24. The NTC is likely to see another steep fall in the ongoing FY25 as the production is still halted.

The peak season in the tea states is April to November. The NTC completely stayed out of production for almost half of the duration. The peak season is about to end a week from now.

The impacts of the production loss will be reflected in the financial statements for the ongoing fiscal year.​

 

[Saif]

Tea industry needs climate-adaptive varieties: experts

Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) alongside universities need to conduct advanced scientific research to come up with tea plant varieties that can adapt to climate change while providing quality and high yields, suggested speakers at a seminar yesterday.

www.thedailystar.net

Tea industry needs climate-adaptive varieties: experts

Workers pick tea leaves at the Tarapur tea garden in Sylhet, some 240 kilometres northeast of capital Dhaka. In Bangladesh, 1,740 kilogrammes (kg) of tea can be produced on an average from each hectare of land, while the output is 2,500 kgs in India and 3,300 kgs in Sri Lanka, according to an expert. Photo: Star/file

Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) alongside universities need to conduct advanced scientific research to come up with tea plant varieties that can adapt to climate change while providing quality and high yields, suggested speakers at a seminar yesterday.

Commonwealth Journalists Association Bangladesh organised the seminar, styled "The State of Tea Industry in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects", at Sylhet Agricultural University.

In Bangladesh, 1,740 kilogrammes (kg) of tea can be produced on an average from each hectare of land, said Prof AFM Saiful Islam of the Department of Crop Botany and Tea Production Technology of Sylhet Agricultural University.

The output is 2,500 kg in India and 3,300 kg in Sri Lanka, he said in a keynote speech.

Three quarters of the tea trees in the gardens of Bangladesh are decades-old varieties, for which these produce a low volume of tea leaves, he said.

Besides, droughts lead to a 21 percent to 32 percent reduction in tea production while pest infestation leads to a drop in output of 25 percent to 30 percent annually, said Islam.

Three quarters of the tea trees in the gardens of Bangladesh are decades-old varieties, for which these produce a low volume of tea leaves, said an expert

In 1990, 45.03 million kg of tea were produced, 19.21 million kg consumed locally while 25.40 million kg exported, he said.

Last year, 102 million kg were produced while local demand stood at 95 million kg and only 1.04 million kg were exported, he added.

Sylhet Agricultural University has established a germplasm centre for tea and developed four sustainable tea plant varieties which are awaiting trials before they are offered for commercial introduction, said Islam.

The BTRI, the only state-run research centre for tea in Bangladesh, has developed 23 varieties of tea plants, he said.

The BT2 is the most popular, while the other varieties have not been able to spark that much of an interest from the cultivators, he said.

The professor urged the government for allocating more funds and manpower for the BTRI and establishment of research facilities specialising in genetical engineering for enhancing the quality of tea.

Climate change has been having an adverse impact on tea production, said AKM Rafiqul Hoque, director of the Project Development Unit of Bangladesh Tea Board.

Tea cultivation is suitable within a temperature range of 18°C to 32°C, he said.

However, the climate in regions where tea gardens are situated are experiencing higher temperatures, resulting in droughts and an increase in pest infestations which ultimately affect tea cultivation, he said.

Prices of fertilisers, a labour crisis, disputes over land, disruptions to power and gas supplies, a lack of availability of bank loans, outdated machinery and disputes over auctions are also affecting the industry, added Hoque.

He also urged the government to take up initiatives to counter the adverse effects of climate change, along with ensuring artificial irrigation and new climate change-adaptive varieties and training for cultivators.

A technological hub should be established in Sylhet through a collaborative approach of all stakeholders of the industry, said the seminar's chief guest, Prof Md Alimul Islam, vice chancellor of Sylhet Agricultural University.

In this place, scientists and researchers can showcase their innovations and the growers can decide on availing innovative solutions, he said.

Many stakeholders of the industry are engaged in unethical practices which need to be stopped to ensure quality production to increase exports, said Maj Gen Sheikh Md Sarwar Hossain, chairman of Bangladesh Tea Board, as the guest of honour.

"We should also break the trend of adhering to the traditional auction method to ensure good prices, while the cultivators should come out of the mindset of prioritising quantity over quality," he said.

Parveen F Chowdhury, president of Commonwealth Journalists Association Bangladesh, presided over the event.

Osman Gani Mansur, general secretary of the association, moderated the seminar while Julhas Alam, a member of the association, gave the vote of thanks.​

 

[Bilal9]

Stop the exploitation of tea workers in Bangladesh and fix the industry

Equal opportunities are no longer enough to bring the tea workers in Bangladesh out of their current conditions.

www.thedailystar.net

Stop the exploitation of tea workers in Bangladesh and fix the industry
Tea workers at Bawani tea garden in Habiganj

View attachment 9261
Women tea workers of Bawani tea garden in Habiganj carrying headloads of green tea leaves, on August 26, 2024. PHOTO: PHILIP GAIN

For nearly seven weeks, more than 12,000 tea workers in 12 tea gardens under the National Tea Company Limited (NTC) have been living in anxiety about the payment of their wages. After they were paid Tk 595 on August 12, which is half of the weekly payment, the payment was halted till September 25, the day they were paid another instalment of the same amount. This is pretty bad for these workers as the Durga Puja festivities are set to begin on October 9. Thankfully, they have not stopped work and production.

However, to keep the management under pressure, the tea workers blocked consignments of made tea out of the garden warehouses. After a negotiation with the management and relevant state agencies, they allowed the release of two consignments from Patrokhola Tea Estate in Moulvibazar's Kamalganj upazila, the largest tea garden of the NTC, and one consignment from each of the 11 other tea gardens on October 1. In exchange, they were paid a week's salary on the same day, confirmed Shipon Chakraborty, panchayat president of Patrokhola. Now the deal is, these workers will release the next consignments from the warehouses when the NTC management clears dues and bonus before Durga Puja.

What we see in the NTC gardens is bad management. NTC is a public limited company formed in 1978 under the Companies Act, 1913. The state holds 51 percent of the shares, and 49 percent are traded in Dhaka and Chattogram stock markets for the general public. Of its 12 tea gardens, seven are located in Moulvibazar, four in Habiganj, and one in Sylhet.

The NTC management, for which the government is responsible, is polluted by politics. The tea gardens, taken over by the government after independence, are located in a good topographic zone, yet they perform very poorly. According to a news report, between July and December of 2023, the company posted a net loss of Tk 26.66 crore. The company's lousy tea garden management is manifested in the look of its gardens: tea plants are sparse and without enough shade trees, among other things. The company's troubles have gotten worse since the sudden political change on August 5, following which the chairman of the company's board of directors, Sheikh Kabir Hossain, reportedly a relative of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has disappeared and the board has almost collapsed.

The tea workers and their lone union, Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union (BCSU), are trying to negotiate with the NTC management. Half-fed or with an empty stomach, these workers have been showing their patience and working regularly in the hope that the management will stay true to its words and clear the full payment of their due wages and bonus before Durga Puja, the biggest festival of Hindus in Bangladesh.

However, NTC now faces many insurmountable challenges. According to a top government official dealing with tea gardens, it has a debt of Tk 380 crore with the Bangladesh Krishi Bank. This year, the company requested for a loan of Tk 150 crore, but the bank sanctioned Tk 86 crore only, which got exhausted by July, said a government official dealing with tea gardens, on condition of anonymity. Per the arrangement of loan repayment, brokers in auction houses transfer the bank's share of sale proceeds directly to its account. The owners get their shares. But the workers are left with no other option but to block the made tea consignments.

While NTC gardens show serious anomalies—which is typical of state-run businesses—there are other private companies and proprietors in the industry that are also plagued with mismanagement and corruption that put their workers in deep crisis. The Imam and Bawani tea estates in Habiganj are a prime example here. The government official disclosed that Imam tea garden was completely shut down along with its factory in October last year after a prolonged crisis. The responsibility for the management of Bawani estate was vested on the deputy director of labour (DDL) in Sreemangal as a result. But the DDL has been having a hard time managing the estate. And the workers of these two gardens are also suffering.

The recent strike called by the Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union (BCSU) has brought the sufferings of our tea workers to the fore. They are demanding a minimum wage of Tk 300 a day to improve their day-to-day lives.

Another example of bad tea garden management is Fultala Tea Garden in Moulvibazar's Juri upazila. Around 1,600 workers in this tea garden have not gotten paid for 12 weeks, as a government official told me. The owner lives in London and has reportedly shut down the garden, though it is still in production to some extent because of the workers. With a bank loan of Tk 50 crore, the owner is in deep trouble, the government official disclosed.

The official further revealed that 79 tea gardens are in terrible shape. These gardens have not made their due contributions to the Provident Fund (PF) for months. Gas and power lines have been cut off in a number of the gardens for not paying the bills. Many of them are selling green tea leaves to other tea gardens for processing as their own factories are not running.

View attachment 9262
Tea workers busy at Bawani tea garden in Habiganj, on August 26, 2024. PHOTO: PHILIP GAIN

Many tea garden owners argue that they are in trouble because the price of tea has gone down while the production cost is rising. Indeed, the government has a policy to expand the tea-growing areas that contribute to increasing production.

Of course, there are examples of good companies that manage their gardens well, take good care of their workers within the existing framework, and make good profits. One such company is Ispahani Tea Limited, which has four gardens. The best among them is Zareen, located in Moulvibazar. While the average production per acre is around 1,600kg, its per acre production is 3,000kg, and the per acre production of all four gardens averages around 2,500kg, according to management. The price that the company gets is good. Almost all houses in the labour lines at Zareen Tea Estate are pucca. The condition of houses in other tea gardens of Ispahani are also much better than in other tea gardens. The workers get better deals with other fringe benefits, the Ispahani management claims.

It is in the best interest of the tea industry in Bangladesh, not to mention the workers, that changes happen for the better. The interim government, which has committed itself to reforms to end discrimination and inequality, should consider giving immediate attention to the tea industry that is in disarray as a whole. The tea garden workers, around 140,000 of them, and their community of around half a million people have been facing severe discrimination for generations, since the beginning of the industry during British colonial times.

First of all, the tea industry, specifically the tea gardens, need proper mapping. Good gardens and bad gardens need to be identified and the reasons must be explained for chalking out recommendations to bring the necessary changes so that none of the tea gardens are beyond scrutiny for mismanagement, corruption, and financial misappropriation. All parties involved with the tea industry must come under scrutiny and be made accountable.

Second, clear attempts must be made to ensure the well-being of tea garden workers, who are deprived of equal treatment and dignity as citizens of Bangladesh. To begin with, a just and respectable wage structure must be fixed for these workers. The former prime minister fixed their daily cash wage at Tk 170 in August 2022, which is certainly not fair. She was allegedly guided by the owners of tea gardens, and her move was political when the minimum wage board was made to fail. Now the time has come to overhaul the tea industry to ensure justice for the tea workers.

Another concern while dealing with their well-being is discrimination in the labour laws and regulations for them, and the owners' routine violation of several sections of the labour legislation, which cannot be justified in any way. While these anomalies have been exposed on various platforms, fresh consultations with tea workers, their trade union and others concerned, will definitely help bring out more details. It is a test for any government to make sure that the state agencies under the labour ministry who are responsible for executing the labour law and rules act honestly.

Tea garden workers, most of whom belong to minority communities, are largely invisible and voiceless. Wage deprivation and social exclusion from the British colonial times have rendered them a weak population, left behind in terms of education and economic progress. Equal opportunities are not enough for them. They deserve some preferential treatment to help them get out of their current condition. The interim government has a big responsibility here.

Philip Gain is researcher and director at the Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD).​

I believe the tea garden workers are almost all of Tamil descent (some are indigenous tribal descent, called Santals). Extremely poor and subject of rampant Tea Garden abuse. the British imported these Tamil laborers from South India and they decided to become Pakistani (then Bangladeshi) citizens. The Santals came from various West Bengal communities.

Very sad. Govt. must establish laws to protect their identity and livelihood.