State-owned farm workers across Bangladesh are protesting for a week to demand an end to precarious employment as well as abolition of piece rate wage systems and fair wage increase. All workers working at Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and majority of agricultural workers in other government institutes and farms are employed as precarious workers. The BADC play a crucial role in providing quality seeds to farmers, which requires a permanent, trained workers, yet 100% of workers are precarious.
BAFLF member protesting at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute’s head office in Gazipur
On December 29, 2022 IUF-affiliated Bangladesh Agricultural Farm Labour Federation (BAFLF) submitted their demands to the agriculture minister. However, after no progress on negotiations, BAFLF members started protests on July 21.
BAFLF members who work at public agriculture research institutes or at the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) as agricultural workers are vital for ensuring food security in Bangladesh. BAFLF played an important role in suspension of commercial release of genetically engineered rice “Golden Rice” posing threat to the environment, food security and public health. BAFLF members at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), which was developing and conducting field tests for the GMO rice, protested inside the institute and were successful in stopping the commercial release.
In addition to permanent jobs, end to piece rate wage systems and fair wage increase, the BAFLF is also demanding that paid maternity leave be increased from 120 to 180 days, giving farm workers the same maternity rights as farm management.
Farm workers are demanding that government must start negotiations with BAFLF NOW!