Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the Awami League (AL) government has always been trying to ensure a better life to tea workers, reports BSS.
She feels special responsibility towards them as her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave them citizenship, said Prime Minister.
“I have a separate responsibility to you (tea workers) as the Father of the Nation had given you the citizenship. I am always trying to perform the responsibilities accordingly,” she said while exchanging views with tea workers through a video conference from her official residence Ganabhaban.
The Prime Minister told the tea workers, who joined the meeting from Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Sylhet and Chattagram through a video conference that her government has always been trying to make sure that the tea workers could live a better life alongside cultivating the tea industry since AL assumed power.
“Since, the Awami League assumed office, we have always been trying to resolve all the problems of the tea workers and to spread the tea industry (to other parts of the country),” she said, adding that they have started tea cultivation afresh in Panchagar.
In this connection, the Prime Minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken various measures for the flourishing of the industry and ensuring better life to the tea workers when he (Bangabandhu) was entrusted with the responsibilities of the chairman of the then tea board.
She said Bangabandhu had established headquarters of the tea board in Motijheel alongside taken measures to flourish the tea industry and gave the tea workers citizenship and voting rights as he had empathy towards them.
Following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation, the Premier said she has always attached priorities to the wellbeing of the tea workers.
Referring to recent demonstrations of the tea workers, she said they had given a hike in their daily wages and other benefits so that they could live properly after holding talks with the tea gardens owners.
"We think that we can realize their (tea workers') demands," she said.
Earlier on Saturday last, the Prime Minister held a meeting with owners of tea gardens where the minimum daily wage for a tea worker was fixed at Tk 170.
Bd-pratidin/Lutful Hoque
