Bidi workers want alternative jobs
Some workers of bidi (hand-rolled cigarette) factories yesterday demanded alternative employment if the government wants to discourage smoking and close bidi factories by imposing high tax.
Speaking at a discussion, they urged the government to impose high tax on low cost cigarettes so that the bidi industry can survive and demanded a seperate wage structure.
The discussion titled “Bidi Worker and Government Policy” was organised by Research and Development Collective (RDC) at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
Speaking at the discussion, one of the workers Chameli said many are forced to work in biri factories due to absence of an alternate employment opportunity in local communities.
Advocate Nilufar Banu, researcher of RDC, quoting her keynote paper, said, “We the organisers of research and development collective are not in favour of smoking or use of tobacco. We also want smoking to be discouraged.
“But we do not want these workers to become unemployed and cigarette factory owners to find more profit from the government's policy to discourage smoking.”
RDC General Secretary Prof Mesbah Kamal chaired the discussion where another worker Bacchu Miah of Shatkhira; Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation General Secretary MK Bangali; and its joint secretary Abdur Rahman also spoke.
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