Notwithstanding strong protests and criticism from different quarters including tea garden workers, who fear that their livelihood would be at stake if and when the economic zone comes up; Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has resolved to establish the same in Chunarughat, Habiganj.
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The economic zone, to be built by Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), aims to protect the interests of tea plantation workers and would be built in partnership with the workers to create new job opportunities for them, said BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury.
The economic zone is scheduled to be built by BEZA on 512 acres of land in Chunarughat, which was earlier leased out to the Duncan Brothers-operated Chandpur Tea Estate.
After the government’s decision on the economic Zone, various political parties and civil society members have extended their support to the tea garden workers, who are protesting against the move in view of losing their land that they used to grow food grains. As such, and environmentalists and civil society members have called upon the government to hold talks with the workers on this.
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“They (tea garden workers) are now earning Tk 69 a day only when they work. If they don’t attend their work, they get nothing. We’ve taken up this initiative to help them come out from leading lives of the marginalised society people,” said BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury while speaking on how the economic zone would benefit the tea garden workers.
Chowdhury also said that land on which the proposed economic zone would come up, belonged to the government, but was leased out to the tea estate for plantation of trees. However, the government has now cancelled the lease of a portion and transferred around 512 acres of land to BEZA for the economic zone.