Bidi industry workers have demanded an increase in their wages and keep provision of 6-day work week in bidi factories.
They came up with the demands from a rally organized by Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation on the occasion of May Day in front of the National Press Club on Monday.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation Abdur Rahman, Vice President Nazim Uddin, Publicity Secretary Shamim Islam, among others, spoke at the function while the Joint Secretary Harik Hossain moderated it.
They also demanded an act for the protection for workers in bidi industry, reduction of existing tariff on bidis in the budget of 2023-2024 and withdrawal of 10 percent advance income tax on bidi to save the industry, said a media release.
Bidi Sramik Federation leaders said that millions of workers in the country make a living by working in the labour intensive bidi industry. But this traditional local industry is being destroyed by conspiracies of foreign multinational companies, they said.
