Laborers lodge police complaint after failing to receive paddy harvesting wages

Five day laborers finally took the shelter of the police station after not receiving their wages despite sweating all day to harvest paddy. The incident took place in Mirzapur Sarkar Para village of Sherpur upazila. The allegation points towards a local landowner, who allegedly abused and threatened the laborers instead of paying them after the paddy harvesting.

Complainant day laborer Abdul Hannan (57) said that Abdul Kuddus Ali, son of Rajek Ali, took him and four other laborers from the 'Laborers Hat' of Nobir Bala Ghatpar area in Sherpur yesterday morning, Monday, to harvest paddy. The promise was a wage of Tk 700 per person. They harvested paddy from one and a half bighas of land and delivered it to the owner's house. But after the work, the owner claimed that the work was not done well, gave no money, and chased them away with abuses and threats.

Abdul Hannan said, “Our stoves do not burn if we do not sell our labor. If we do not get this money now, we will have to stay without food with our families tomorrow. Those who kick the stomachs of the poor should be tried.” A written complaint has been lodged against the accused landowner at Sherpur police station. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sherpur police station Shafiqul Islam said, “I have received a written complaint in this regard. The local investigating officer has been asked to investigate the matter and take necessary action.”

There has been widespread anger in the area over this incident. Laborers say that if the proper price of labor for people who come out in search of livelihood every day from the 'Laborers Hat' is not ensured, many will lose interest in work in the future. Source: Swadesh Pratidin