The workers of different tea gardens in Habiganj have once again blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway to press home their demand for a daily wage of Tk 300.

They started protest at Jagadishpur Muktijoddha Chattar at Madhapur upazila from this noon blocking the highway.

The demonstrations caused a 3-km tailback on the highway.

Additional police personnel were deployed to handle the situation.

Nripen Pal, acting general secretary of the Bangladesh Tea Workers Union, said the plan to raise the daily wage to Tk 145 was announced at a meeting between tea estate workers and the administration in Sreemangal on Saturday.

But workers of Habiganj's Lashkarpur Valley rejected the proposal.

"They didn't accept it. They are demanding that the wages be increased to Tk 300," said Nripen.

On August 9, the Bangladesh Tea Workers Union started two-hour work abstention a day demanding daily wage hike.

Workers demanded an increase of their wage to Tk300, with inflation rising and the currency depreciating. The workers of 241 tea gardens across the country went on a full-scale strike on August 13, after four days of two-hour work abstention.

On Saturday (August 20) the tea garden workers rejected the Tk 25 daily wage hike fixed by the government and vowed to continue their movement for a Tk 300 daily wage.

They said they will continue their movement till the Prime Minister gives a proper solution to their wage issue.