Tea is considered the most consumed beverage in the world after water. It is an aromatic and flavorful warm drink made by infusing tea leaves in hot water. The scientific name of the tea plant is Camellia sinensis. Tea leaves—technically the leaves, shoots, and buds of the tea plant—are an agricultural product prepared in various ways. In English, the beverage is called "tea," a term believed to be derived from the Greek goddess Thea or the Chinese pronunciation "Chi," which evolved into "Cha."

While tea is widely enjoyed as a beverage, the plight of the workers who harvest the leaves often goes unnoticed. In Bangladesh, tea workers earn a shockingly low wage—just 179 BDT (around $1.50) per day for eight hours of labor.

In comparison, tea workers in Sri Lanka earn approximately 550 BDT per day, while in Kenya and India the wages are around 483 BDT and 256 BDT respectively. Some justify the lower wages in Bangladesh by citing the higher cost of production due to lower-quality tea clones. However, despite their hard labor, the 150,000 workers in this sector are living in increasingly dire conditions.

Historical data shows that tea workers' wages in Bangladesh were just 12 BDT in 2005. Gradually, it rose to 32 BDT, then to 48 BDT. By 2012 it was 65 BDT, 79 BDT in 2015, 85 BDT in 2017, 102 BDT in 2019, and 120 BDT in 2020. Following a major protest in 2022 and intervention from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the wage was raised to 170 BDT. By 2024, it had increased slightly to 178 BDT, with a 5% annual increment policy in place.

In addition to wages, tea workers receive two annual bonuses during Durga Puja and Dol Purnima (Fagua), totaling only 4,250 BDT. They are also provided with subsidized food—around 3.3 kg of rice or flour weekly at 2 BDT per kg—and basic amenities such as housing, agricultural land, primary education, and healthcare.

Still, labor leaders argue that these benefits are minimal and not enough for a dignified life. Nipun Pal, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Tea Workers’ Union, stated that the wages are insufficient for a human being to survive. Despite their dedicated work, the laborers are denied fair compensation due to the low price of Bangladeshi tea in auctions and high production costs.

Industry insiders point out several systemic issues: outdated management systems, lack of modernization compared to competing countries, and poor clone varieties have all increased production costs. Moreover, the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute has yet to develop high-yield tea varieties. While other countries produce up to 10,000 kg per hectare, Bangladesh produces only 3,000 kg, further raising the cost per unit and reducing profit margins for estate owners.

Former Deputy Director of the Bangladesh Tea Board, Munir Ahmed, said without improving tea quality and increasing yield per hectare, it's impossible to ensure higher wages for workers. Countries like India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya provide better wages because of higher productivity and better quality.

Currently, Bangladesh has 170 tea estates employing about 97,000 permanent and 40,000–50,000 seasonal laborers. Despite government tariffs to curb imports and efforts to expand cultivation into new regions like the Chittagong Hill Tracts, without research-driven development and modern cultivation techniques, the tea sector continues to struggle. And the brunt of that struggle is borne by the laborers—those whose sweat keeps the industry alive.

Talking to tea workers reveals that labor laws are being blatantly violated. They are not receiving fair wages. In this time of rising inflation, it is difficult for them to make ends meet. Conversations with at least 10 workers from several tea estates in the Sylhet region reveal that they do not own any land; incidents of gender-based violence and sexual harassment often go unpunished. Due to lack of sufficient food, children suffer from malnutrition. Educational opportunities are limited. Maternity leave is not granted. Women are the most vulnerable.

A sense of fear prevails when speaking with them. For this reason, many do not want to reveal their names. Almost all of them fear losing their jobs if their names are made public.