Thousands of tea garden workers in Chunarughat, Habiganj, remain largely unaware of a national referendum set to take place alongside the February 12 parliamentary election. While election campaigns are visible in towns and municipal areas, awareness about the referendum has not effectively reached tea estates, where many workers say they do not understand the purpose or process of the vote.
In the Habiganj-4 (Chunarughat–Madhabpur) constituency, more than 80,000 voters live across 22 tea gardens. Workers interviewed in gardens including Teliapara, Chandichara, Chandpur, Naluwa, Laskarpur, Rashidpur, Sribari, and Rem said they are familiar with parliamentary voting but have received no information about the referendum or how it will be conducted. Several women workers said they had never participated in such a vote and were unsure what would happen on election day.
Labor leaders and panchayat representatives in the gardens reported similar gaps in information. Some said they had only heard the term “referendum” without explanation. Others noted that while political candidates regularly seek votes, none have discussed the referendum, leading to confusion about whether a separate decision or ballot will be required.
Local labor leaders said that if the referendum concerns major state decisions, workers should be informed in advance so they can participate meaningfully. They suggested awareness efforts such as leaflet distribution, courtyard meetings, loudspeaker announcements, and direct discussions inside the tea estates.
Local administration officials said that awareness activities would be strengthened in the tea garden areas in line with Election Commission guidelines, so workers can participate properly in both the parliamentary election and the referendum.
Source: Kalerkantha
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