At the height of the tea-plucking season, frequent power cuts are disrupting Sylhet’s tea factories, delaying the processing of freshly plucked leaves and threatening tea quality and the industry’s production target for the year.

Historically, the tea industry in Bangladesh has been standing on the backbreaking labour of tea garden workers

“I didn't think I could come this far,” said a beaming Horibol Bonarjee, a student of Moulvibazar Government High School, who passed this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC).

Basanti Bauri, 40, of Moulvibazar works for a renowned tea estate as a “plucker”. Her day starts at 5:00am sharp. After paying homage to the family deity, she prepares food for her three children and husband.

Workers of 22 tea gardens in Sylhet district go on a work abstention demanding their 16 months’ arrear and also an increase in their daily wage.

Thousands of tea garden workers in Sylhet division observed a four-hour work abstention today, demanding a hike on their daily payment.