Coastal workers hold sit-in demanding fair wages in Satkhira
Satkhira Correspondent
Local poor workers have held a sit-in in Shyamnagar, Satkhira, demanding fair wages for coastal workers. The sit-in was organized on Thursday at the Ashrayan project premises adjacent to Burigoalini Union Parishad in the upazila with the support of local people, Sabuj Sanghati, Sundarban Students Solidarity Team and research institute BARCIK.
The sit-in was presided over by local farmer Kaushalya Munda. Women workers Madhabi Rani, Kalyani Munda, Sabuj Sanghati member Dilip Majhi, youth organizer S, M Osman Gani, Masum Billah, Obaidullah Al Mamun, Sabuj Billah, BARCIK officer Bablu Joardar, Bishwajit Mandal, Monica Paik, Barsha Rani, Pratima Chakraborty and others spoke.
The speakers said that the demand for daily wage workers is very high in the coastal areas. Along with men, women workers work in local crab farms, fish pens, construction work, soil cutting, rural road construction and renovation and agriculture. In crab farms, they are made to work for up to 12 hours in violation of international labor laws. However, the wages paid are meager. They are deprived of fair wages in all areas.
Women worker Madhabi Rani of Burigoalini village said, "Even though we do the same work as men, we get half the wages." Even after hard work, proper evaluation is not given.
At the end of the sit-in program, an awareness-raising street play 'Where is the price of sweat' was performed by a combination of men and women present.
