Journalists Trained in In-depth Reporting on Tea Workers and Ethnic Communities

Journalists Trained in In-depth Reporting on Tea Workers and Ethnic Communities

Oct 20, 2014 | Event Reports

“The rights of the tea workers have remained neglected for a long time. The journalists, through their professional aptitude, have a responsibility to raise their issues and have them included in the national agenda,” said Rambhajan Kairi, General Secretary, Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union (BCSU) at the inauguration of the workshop.

Kairi criticized portrayal of happy images of the tea workers in advertisements printed and aired by the media. Thus the plights of the tea workers remain concealed.

Ranadhir Kumar Dev, Chairman of Srimangal Upazila Parishad confessed, “I cannot play my role for the people (tea workers) who voted me to where I am; I rather serve the interest of the owners. In conflict of interest between the owners and the workers, it is the owners who always control us.”

In addition to skill sharing for journalistic writing and research, the participants themselves (working journalists), officials of the government agencies involved with tea industry, local leaders, university professors, trade union leaders representing tea workers, and adivasi leaders shared their insights and thoughts on the condition and struggles of the tea workers and the little-known ethnic communities.

The tea gardens of Bangladesh (157) in the Northeast and Southeast are established on about 114000 hectares of public land granted for production of tea.

Prokash Kanti Chowdhury, ADC (revenue) of Moulvibazar district said “Nothing is said about the land rights of the tea workers in the lease deeds for land between the tea garden owners and the government. This is a leverage for the owners to stay passive about the rights of the tea workers,”

Chowdhury also mentioned, “40% to 45% of the workforce in the tea gardens remains in staggering unemployment. We have sent a list of 40 ethnic communities we find in the tea gardens to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs so that they get state attention in order for them to access job opportunities outside the tea gardens.”

Md. Haroon-Or-Rashid, director of Project Development Unit (PDU), an important wing of Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) gave his opinions: “The trade union leaders are there to bargain with the owners. The government has little role in this regard.” Bijoy Bunarjee, a trade union leader disagreed, “The government should play an effective role to ensure the rights of the tea workers.”

“When an Adivasi is killed or raped, we get an assignment to cover,” said S.M. Atik, a journalist from Rajshahi working for Daily New Age. “This workshop has opened up our minds and hearts about many issues on rights, culture, languages, and other pertinent issues of the adivasis and other marginalized communities that we pay little attention to and investigate.”

Chitta Ghosh, president of Dinajpur Press Club, said, “The tea workers are hostage to the owners to a greater degree than any other industry.”

The training ended with the expressed commitment, confidence and profound enthusiasm of participants to cover the rights issues of tea workers and little-known ethnic communities with greater care and attention.

PDF version of report [ Download ]

Report by Md. Rajibul Hasan and Md. Lokman Hossain

SEHD Launches three new books and one documentary film

SEHD Launches three new books and one documentary film

Jun 29, 2014 | Documentary Films, SEHD News

SEHD Launched its three new books: (i) Shores of Tear, (ii) Bangladesh: Land, Forest and Forest People (English, 3rd Edition), and (iii) The Environmental Impacts of the Pulp and Paper Industry in Bangladesh and one documentary film, “Shores of Tear” at CIRDAP Auditorium on 29 June 2014. These new production and publications of SEHD present critical insights on some of the key environmental issues of Bangladesh and how we address the climate change issues on the ground.

 “We talk about climate change and pay little attention to on the ground situations”
—Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman

“Abuse of power is the main factor for environmental degradation,” said Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman. “We talk about climate change and pay little attention to on the ground situations.” Dr. Rahman, an eminent economist was speaking at the book launch and premiere screening of documentary film of the Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD) organized in Dhaka on 29 June.

 Dr. Rahman went further self-critiquing, “We, the economists are confined to a one-way discussion. We have made development philosophy problematic. We must keep in mind that Bangladesh is no more a country of famine. But we need to seriously think which path we take without causing harms to the environment.”

 The 26-minute documentary film screened is Shores of Tear directed by Philip Gain. The three books launched are: Shores of Tear, Bangladesh: Land, Forest and Forest People (English, 3rd Edition), and The Environmental Impacts of the Pulp and Paper Industry in Bangladesh. The documentary film and the books, compendium in nature, present facts, anecdotes, images, and analyses on central issues that relate to the state of our shores, forests, and communities living in the forests. These new production and publications of SEHD also present critical insights on how we address climate change issues on the ground.

Prof. Nazrul Islam, former chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh was the chief guest at the event. Chaired by Prof. Sakhawat Ali Khan, researchers, scholars, environmentalists, activists and media personalities reflected on different aspects of our shores at risk, degradation of forests and their underlying factors, and environmental impacts of the pulp and paper industry. They based their discussions and reflections on the documentary film and the books.

On SEHD’s three books that have resulted from its years of investigations and research, Dr. Rahman, said, “These books have a common thread and that is to raise important national issues for all. SEHD’s investigation plays an important role for inclusion of local people’s voices and judgment in development philosophy.”

 Prof. Anu Muhammad, an economist and an activist in the frontier of resistance movement against environmental degradation in Bangladesh said, “The documentary film and the three books question the contemporary development philosophy. It is in the name of development that military officers, bureaucrats and political leaders have grabbed land in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and have introduced rubber, tobacco, other commercial plantations and have pushed for development activities that cause harms to environment. The state laws and the agencies help in continued land grabbing processes. As a result, the indigenous people are evicted from their traditional forest land.”

      Prof. Anu criticized the way the government setting up a coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans, the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world. Such plant [in Rampal in Bagerhat district] poses a serious threat to the Sundarbans. To make the situation worse Orion Group, a private company is planning to set up another 565 megawatt coal-fired power plant next to Rampal Power Plant and even closer to the Sundarbans [at Biddarbaon, Mongla) without following environmental rules and regulations.”

 Khusi Kabir, a well-known development activist consistently talking about the adverse social and environmental impacts of shrimp aquaculture said, “The people in the coastal districts have been immensely suffering from the adversity of commercial shrimp farming for a long time. The local people have always been struggling to cope with natural disasters that hit the coasts. Commercial shrimp farming on agricultural land and in the mangrove areas have made their struggle tougher.”

 In his welcome address, Philip Gain, the director of SEHD, gave an overview of the contents of the books and documentary film. The documentary film “Shores of Tear” highlights the negative environmental and social impacts of shrimp aquaculture in Bangladesh’s coastal regions and documents the work of activists and the local communities to stop this harmful practice. The book, “Shores of Tear”, complies reports, features, and scientific analyses that explain the ever-changing coasts of Bangladesh, its characteristics, and the threats it faces. The book, “Bangladesh: Land, Forest and Forest People (English, third edition)”, enriched with many new reports, stories, and analyses, will help its readers better understand forest related issues as well as the life and struggle of the peoples who still cling to the forests materially, culturally, and psychologically. The other book, “The Environmental Impacts of the Pulp and Paper Industry in Bangladesh” authored by Asfara Ahmed provides a helpful overview of the pulp and paper industry in Bangladesh and its environmental impacts.

 In a curated discussion session that followed the launching, a galaxy researchers, writers, media personalities and activists reflected on the art and impacts of research, writing, reporting and documentation on forests and forest communities. Curated by Dr. Tanzimuddin Khan and chaired by Gautam Dewan, Convenor, Movement for the Protection of Forests and Land Rights in the CHT, Philip Gain, Dr. Shapan Adnan, Afsan Chowdhury, Dr. Nirupa Dewan, Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmed, ZuamLian Amlai, Eugin Nokrek, and Shaktipada Tripura shared insightful experience, thoughts and reflections on research and writing done on the forests and forest communities and their impacts during the last few decades.

http://www.dhakacourier.com.bd/?p=18179

An eviction decree, its execution, and the fate of seven Mahle families

An eviction decree, its execution, and the fate of seven Mahle families

Apr 28, 2014 | News Reports

Philip Gain

It is like a scene of war-time devastation in a tiny Mahle village, Pachandor, in Tanor upazila (Rajshahi). Houses with thick mud walls and corrugated tin roofs have been leveled to the ground. Food grain, utensils, beds, clothes, cash, and other household materials are all broken and left mixed with mud. The families are left with nothing. They still have the courage to live around their homesteads in the hope of getting justice.  

The seven Mahle families, whose houses have been thoroughly destroyed in an eviction operation under a court decree report that they have been living on 32 decimals of land, vested property, for a hundred years.   

Three brothers of the neighboring village, Sadipur—Fazlur Rahman, Estab Ali and Anisur Rahman—claim they own the land. “We bought the land in DAG No. 84 from Saber Ali Mondol,” claimed Anisur Rahman (65) youngest of the three brothers.  “We have not done anything wrong in breaking the houses of the Mahles. We have won the case and got decree in our favor. The police and the court just assisted us to evict the illegal occupants.”  

“This is ridiculous,” said Omor Faruque, councilor of Ward no. 1 of Mundamala Pourashava who came to the rescue of the houses from being destroyed but he was ignored. “The seven Mahle families had last taken yearly lease (DCR) in 2013, which means they are up to date with their lease.”  

Two Karmakar families, close to the Mahle families also had their houses in DAG No. 94 partially destroyed.  

The Eviction Operation  

On the day of eviction, 30 March 2014, according to Johon Hasda (65), who now lives under the open sky with his eight family members, reports, “A micro-bus carrying police stopped at our village in  the morning. They were actually giving protection to the brothers (Fazur Rahman, Estab Ali and Anisur Rahaman) and around 150 men. Two more police van also arrived from Tanor Police Station. They started breaking our houses without paying any attention to our cries.”  

Jastina Hembrom (35), standing in the middle of the debris on her homestead, cried and narrated what happened on 30 March: “We were in the field, harvesting wheat, when we heard that our houses were being demolished. We ran to the village. I saw my house being dismantled by around 35 people. I begged them not to destroy my house. I did not understand what to do. I begged them to give me a few days. But they did not pay any attention.”  

“They did not even give us time we begged to move our paddy, rice and other household materials. Later on I found my four sacks of paddy, two sacks of wheat, two kuthis (home-made mud pot to store cereal) of rice scattered and mixed with mud,” said Jastina. She soon became busy with her brother-in-law’s 10-year old daughter Sriti, who got injured from a stone thrown at her. She remained in comma for three hours in a hospital.  

Sicilia Hasda (35), another woman who witnessed her house destroyed gave further description of the appalling story.  “I was working in the field when the news of demolition came. I ran to the village. I became so shocked to see some twenty people demolishing my house of mud walls with tin roof.  

“I was storing 14 maunds (one maund is equivalent to 40 kgs) of wheat, four maunds of mustard, and cash of Tk.5,000 of adivasi women’s organization, GOLAP, of which I am the cashier. I also had 20 maunds of paddy of my own. I begged them to allow me to enter my house. But they did not listen. I helplessly watched my house leveled to the ground. These foodstuffs and cash were all gone with my houses.  The carnage went up to five in the evening.”  

What also astounded the Mahles and their neighbors was that they did not receive prior notice from the court before the decree of 2013 was executed.  

The O.C. and the court representatives (Advocate Commission, surveyor, and Nazir) reportedly ignored the appeals of the Mahle people. “We have merely assisted in executing a decree from the court of law,” said S.M. Bazlur Rashid, O.C. Tanor Thana. However, there is allegation that Bangalees along with the Mahle who appealed to the police to spare the houses were threatened with arrest.  

Quite a few social organizations organized human chains and road blockade on 31 March 2014 to protest against the eviction attempt. However, it was only on 21 April that Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi, Mesbahuddin Chowdhury visited Pachondor, handed over three checks [Taka 3000 each) to three families and committed to give financial support of Tk.3,000 and 30 kgs of rice to each of the nine Mahle and Karmakar families.  

The DC confirmed that the 32 decimals of land that the victims of Pachandor had their houses on is vested property. “It is government property and we will appeal to the court against the decree,” the DC reportedly said during his visit to Pachandor.  

What Awaits the Victims of Pachandor  

About a month has passed since the houses of the Mahle and Karmakar families were destroyed. The families, under severe conditions, still continue to live guarding the debris of their houses and the land. They were terrified at the “atrocious” approaches of people who demolished their houses; but the tiny Mahle community remains bold and believe that they will get justice.  

“We appreciate that the DC of Rajshahi has visited Pachandor and has committed some cash and food grain. These bring little relief. We demand that the seven Mahle families be rehabilitated on the land they have been living on for such long time,” says Rabindranath Soren of Jatyio Adivasi Parishad. “We also demand that the DC’s office quickly files the appeals against the decree and eventually gives permanent settlement of the land to the Mahle families because there is no trace of the original owner of the land.”  

Joseph Mangra Murmu, one of the Mahle family heads says, “We are accepting the relief. But our main demand is that our houses are reconstructed and the land we live on are permanently settled to us.”  

Writer is a researcher and director of Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD).    

http://www.dhakacourier.com.bd/?p=17095

 

Strengthening from within: Enabling change for Bangladesh’s little-known ethnic communities

Strengthening from within: Enabling change for Bangladesh’s little-known ethnic communities

Apr 3, 2014 | Event Reports

In June 2011, without any consideration or consultation with indigenous communities, the Constitution (Fifteenth Amendment) Bill, 2011 was passed, which made all the citizens of the country “Bangalee” by nationality thus forcing homogeneity upon Bangladesh’s ethnically diverse indigenous population and denying them the right to self-identification. Without formal recognition and legitimacy, these groups and their rich distinctive languages, cultures, traditions, technologies and knowledge are in danger of being lost.

Furthermore, adivasis (or indigenous people) are at a greater threat of being displaced due to land grabbing by the politically influential Bangalee majority. Such loss of valuable property has great repercussions for the adivasi communities as this forces them deeper and deeper into a cycle of unemployment, debt, and poverty.

Integral to the protection of little-known ethnic communities is accurate information and monitoring regarding the current state of their population. Thus, Society for Environment and Human Development recently held a workshop titled, “Study and rethinking rights of little-known ethnic communities of Bangladesh” as part of a three year project, “Mapping and capacity building of tea plantation workers and little-known ethnic communities of Bangladesh” to help prepare participants to engage in participatory research, awareness raising and capacity building within their communities.  The workshop, which was held at the premises of Gram Bikash Kendra in Parbatipur, Dinajpur from 21 to 25 March 2014, was attended by representatives from a number of ethnic communities throughout Bangladesh as well as journalists, activists and development workers from a number of different organizations. The ethnic groups represented during the workshop included the Santal, Oraon, Garo, Mahle, Koch, Hodi, Rajwar, Munda and the Paharia.

Resource persons present at the workshop facilitated by Philip Gain included Mr. Moazzem Hossain, chief executive of Gram Bikash Kendra, Dr. Tanzimuddin Khan, Associate Professor, University of Dhaka, Mr. Dulal Chandra Biswas of the University of Rajshahi and Arok Toppo of Caritas Rajshahi. Various adivasi activists also attended the event including Rabindranath Soren from the Jatiyo Adivasi Parishad.

Participants had the opportunity to learn about different aspects of adivasi life and culture from an anthropological perspective from Boktiar Ahmed of the Department of Anthropology, University of Rajshahi. Furthermore, Clara Tumpa Baroi from SIL Bangladesh spoke about the organization’s initiatives to teach and preserve the languages of Bangladesh’s ethnic communities and highlighted the importance of language preservation to the greater culture. “If a community loses its language, it loses its identity. Language is essential in the preservation of culture,” said Baroi.

The participants also received training in writing, developing case studies and profiles as well as various aspects of field research such as conducting surveys, interviews and focus group discussions followed by practical fieldwork and exercises in various adivasi villages around Dinajpur.

Philip Gain, the director of SEHD and Tanzimuddin Khan of the University of Dhaka both highlighted the importance of gathering empirical evidence and the “emic” (bottom-up) research approach to study these communities wherein those being researched are also the researchers.

Through the workshop, participants gained a deeper understanding regarding the diversity of Bangladesh’s ethnic groups as well as the distinctive challenges that they face and must overcome. According to Momota Mankin from the Joenshahi Adivasi Unnayan Parishad, the workshop was an eye-opening experience. “I didn’t realize how many small ethnic groups there were in Bangladesh. In Modhupur, where I am from, we see predominantly only two ethnic groups, the Garos and the Koch. This workshop helped me realize the true ethnic diversity of Bangladesh,” said Mankin.

The workshop also helped develop a greater sense of unity amongst the participants in spite of differences in ethnicity, religion, geography and culture. “We must all work together for our common rights,” stressed Rabindranath Soren, president of Jatiyo Adivasi Parishad.

Bichitra Tirki, a prominent adivasi land rights activist also highlighted the importance of research and documentation for the adivasi rights movement, “We tend to fight for our rights with sticks but we need to do so with words as well, which this workshop will help us do”.

The skills developed during the workshop will allow participants to actively engage in research activities to help study and map these small and little-known and neglected ethnic communities and to define their various needs and constraints thus allowing civil society and other stakeholders to more effectively advocate for their rights and recognition. It is hoped that the tools and resources provided will empower them to act as change makers within their own communities and to create an effective network of researchers and storytellers to make the adivasi communities of Bangladesh an undeniable national voice.

PDF version of report [ Download ]

Asfara Ahmed is a researcher and contributing author at SEHD.

First Published: Dhaka Courier, 3 April 2014

EU ambassador visits labour line, condemns extreme low wages to tea workers

EU ambassador visits labour line, condemns extreme low wages to tea workers

Mar 27, 2014 | Event Reports

EU ambassador among a tea community in a labour line in Alynagar Tea Estate. © Saydur Rahman

“The workers in Bangladesh tea industry DO NOT get decent wage, this is NOT fair, this is NOT just,” ambassador of the EU Delegation to Bangladesh William Hanna said during his visit to a project that is involved in a participatory research with tea workers and little-known ethnic communities with an aim to improve their living and working conditions. The project titled “Mapping and Capacity Building of Tea Workers and little known ethnic communities in Bangladesh” is implemented by the Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD). The European Union finances the project under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. ICCO COOPERATION the Netherlands provides 20% of the total budget of the project.

“This is not just that people should not get fair wage for their work. This is a question of justice. If anybody asks me if I am satisfied; No, I am not satisfied with what I see. This is injustice. So I will go back to Dhaka, talk to minister of commerce Tofail Ahmed, I will talk to minister of agriculture Matia Chowdhury and say, what is this injustice (going on) in your country?”

Ambassador Hannah spoke very boldly in front of an audience comprising tea garden owners, tea community leaders, government officials and reporters of print and electronic media. The meeting took place in Project Development Unit (PDU) auditorium in Srimongol, Maulvibazar on 17 March.

“Why does the European Union have to come in here and look at this question? Because we are concerned about justice, worldwide. And this particular example is worse than other countries; I have been in the Africa, in Tanzania; I have seen the people who work there, I was in Cameroon, I have seen people who work there; and in this country (Bangladesh) they have been treated worse. That’s a fact, we all know it. Why are people being paid so little, I don’t know, I don’t get it,” Ambassador continued with apparent surprise. He called upon everybody to work together to come out of the model that was introduced by, as dubbed by many, the British colonizers, and ensure that the workers get enough money so they can send their children to schools, have a decent life, have medical care and not live a back-breaking life they live today.

The EU ambassador also spoke about tourism potentials in the tea garden areas. He mentioned that he had visited Baikka Beel, a wetland near Maulvibazar that very morning and watched at least 20 different species of birds there. To him, tourism can help solve unemployment problem in the area. “It is in everybody’s interests to ensure that the living conditions of these deprived communities of workers become more humane, so that they can actively participate in the building of a prosperous Bangladesh,” said Ambassador Hanna.

Facilitated by Philip Gain, Director or SEHD, others who spoke at the meeting included trade union leaders in tea industry Rambhajan Kairi and Bijoy Bunarjee; Golam Mohammad Sibly, chairman of Bangladesh Tea Association (BTA) Sylhet Branch; Harun-Or-Rashid, director of Project Development Unit (PDU); Hasna Hena Khan, program officer of ICCO COOPERATION; and Nasim Anwar, a former planter and consultant in the tea sector.

After the meeting, the ambassador visited a labour line in Alynagar Tea Estate to see the living conditions of tea workers in his own eyes. There he was welcomed very warmly by the tea workers and their families.

Tea workers and their communities are one of the most marginalized and excluded groups in Bangladesh, being effectively ‘tied’ to the tea gardens where they work. The level of deprivation is illustrated when comparing their wages to what is paid in other countries in the region. The daily pay in Bangladesh is 69 Taka, a dramatically low pay considering that the daily cash of tea workers in Sri Lanka is with 550 Rupee (328 Taka) about 5 times as high.

The project “Mapping and capacity building of tea plantation workers and little-known ethnic communities of Bangladesh” is being implemented in tea growing areas in the Northeast, Chittagong, North-Centre, Northwest and the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). It has a target population of about 1.1 million people (600,000 tea workers and 500,000 members of little-known ethnic communities).

PDF version of report [ Download ]

The writer is research and documentation officer of Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD)

First Published: Dhaka Courier, 27 March 2014