Dhaka, Jan. 14 -- Workers at the Tarapur Tea Plantation in Sylhet have gone on strike to demand back pay for two weeks of work and the third installment of arrears promised by the prime minister.

Sunil Modi, general secretary of the Tarapur Tea Plantation Panchayat Committee, said workers suspended work from 9 am to 2 pm and protested in front of the plantation's office building.

"Due to the capriciousness of the authorities, salary payments have been delayed again and again," he said. "Because of this, workers' families are falling deeper into crisis. Without our pay, our Sankranti festival has been sapped of joy. We want an end to this deadlock."

"We don't want to repeatedly close tea gardens. But we are forced to protest due to depr...