After Two Days of Deadlock, Sreemangal's Khejurichhara Tea Garden Reopens; Workers Return Saturday
The Khejurichhara tea garden and factory of Finley Tea Company in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, has reopened after two days of deadlock. Following a day-long meeting on Friday initiated by the upazila administration, the parties agreed to settle the dispute on written terms. The workers will return to work from Saturday.
The authorities had declared the garden and factory of the company's Deanston Division closed for an indefinite period on November 12 amid worker unrest and an internal dispute. The closure sparked anger and tension among the workers.
The emergency meeting was held on Friday at the conference room of Sreemangal Upazila Parishad, chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Ziaur Rahman. After day-long discussions and exchanges of views, the parties reached a written decision.
Representatives of Finley Tea Company, representatives of the protesting tea workers, local BNP leaders, police administration officials, social figures, public representatives and journalists were present at the meeting. At the end, representatives of the parties signed the written decision.
Under the decision, the garden's deputy general manager (DGM) will not be able to make any statement or do anything that hurts religious feelings or creates misunderstanding. If such an incident recurs, action will be taken against him on the basis of proof.
It was also decided that the upazila administration will form a committee to ensure that puja is celebrated at the garden temple with religious solemnity. Government allocation will also be arranged to complete the temple's renovation and development work quickly.
The meeting also decided to ensure that no side behaves in a retaliatory manner over the dispute and that it has no negative impact on the workers' working lives.
Sreemangal UNO Md Ziaur Rahman said fruitful discussions had been held with all concerned parties to resolve the garden's deadlock and worker unrest. Considering the statements of both the workers and the owners, four decisions were taken unanimously, paving the way for an end to the deadlock and a return to a normal working environment, he said.
DGM Humayun Kabir, however, denied the workers' allegations. He said the allegations of obstructing a religious ceremony or ordering the removal of the temple were completely baseless. A large pandal had been built in front of the factory's main gate for a kirtan programme lasting 30 days, which blocked the movement road, he added.
Under the meeting's decision, the garden and factory were reopened on Friday itself. Once the workers return to work on Saturday, normal production at the Khejurichhara tea garden will resume.
