Bidi workers' human chain foiled

A human chain formed by bidi workers, asking the government not to raise tax on the bidi industry, was dispersed by police yesterday noon.

About 200 bidi workers from Saptibari village of Aditmari upazila were hired by an agent of a local bidi factory to form a human chain at Mission Intersection in Lalmonirhat town, police said. Getting information about the gathering from Anti Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), and went to the spot and dispersed the workers.

Bidi worker Jahangir Hossain, 42, of Saptibari village, said he was paid Tk 200 by the bidi factory agent for attending the human chain, but the police dispersed them. “We were not told about the human chain, police went to the programme because we were paid,” he added.

“We get paid for making bidi in the factory, but taxation is a matter between the government and factory owners,” said Nazrul Islam, 38, another bidi worker of the village. “It is true that we are paid low wages for the risky work of making bidi,” he added.

Asma Begum, 32, another bidi worker of the village, said, “We gathered at Mission Intersection in the town for forming a human chain as the bidi factory agent sent us there, but we returned without holding the programme as we were dispersed.”

Sohrab Hossain, the local bidi factory agent at Saptibari village, said he didn't hire any bidi worker to form a human chain, adding that they went to the town for the programme for their personal interest.

Source: The daily star, 15 May, 2016