Female tea workers in Sylhet continue to face deprivation and hardship despite their crucial role in Bangladesh’s tea industry. According to a report from Nabiganj, these women work long hours plucking tea leaves but earn only Tk 75 a day, far below their demand for Tk 250–300. Many live in poverty, lacking access to education, healthcare, housing, clean water, and sanitation. Their daily meals are meager, and they often struggle to feed their families.

The report highlights that tea workers’ wages have increased only marginally over the years—from Tk 32 in 2007 to Tk 75 at present. Elderly workers receive limited annual food aid worth Tk 5,000 from the Ministry of Social Welfare, achieved after repeated protests. Workers like Onika Rani, who has labored in the Bhaban Tea Garden since age 15, describe severe financial strain and limited educational opportunities for their children.

Bhaban Tea Garden manager Binoy Chandra Barma acknowledged the lack of schools, hospitals, and safe water but said the authorities plan to build such facilities. Despite these assurances, the workers’ living conditions remain dire.