Street play at DU highlights tea workers’ deprivation

A street play titled ‘170 Taka’ was staged at Dhaka University on Thursday, highlighting the long-standing deprivation, exploitation and inhumane living conditions of tea workers in Bangladesh.

The performance was held at Payra Chattar, adjacent to the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC), marking International Workers’ Day, with participation from cultural activists across different academic years.

Organisers said the play aimed to present an “uncomfortable but real” portrayal of tea workers’ lives.

The performance opened with a song depicting the historical background of tea workers and their enduring hardship, followed by a series of scenes portraying their daily struggles, low wages, health risks, limited access to education and generational deprivation.

A symbolic “owner community” character was introduced midway to represent continued exploitation in tea gardens. Through dialogue, music and symbolism, the performers highlighted the harsh realities faced by workers.

The play concluded with a song carrying a message of resistance and continued struggle.

Writer and director Mubashir Mahmud Nibhib said tea workers remain among the most marginalised communities in the country and continue to be deprived of basic living standards.

He said they face discrimination in healthcare, education and civil rights, stressing that both the state and society must take responsibility.

Through the production, organisers also placed several demands, including a fair wage structure, access to institutional healthcare, safe maternity benefits, improved education for tea garden children, and full civil rights, including land ownership.

Performer Ohiduzzaman Tony said improving the living standards of tea workers is not a matter of sympathy but a state responsibility, adding that they continue to be deprived of basic rights despite being citizens.

Niloy Bala, Afreena Abtahi Atisha, Tasniad Shaolin, Nahid Alam and Taskin Khan were among the performers.