National Tea Day is being celebrated for the second time in the country. There are various events in celebration of ‘Cha Dibosh er Songkolpo, Somriddho Cha Shilpo’ (A prosperous tea industry is the pledge of Tea Day) of National Tea Day across the country on Saturday. A tea fair has been organized along with a discussion meeting at Osmani auditorium in the capital on the day. Various organizations will display and sell tea at the fair. Apart from this, there are also discussion meetings, tea fairs, and processions in the tea-producing districts. Last year, National Tea Day was celebrated for the first time.
This year the theme of the day is ‘Tea Day Resolution, Prosperous Tea Industry’. On the occasion of the day, President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages.
In his message, the President said that tea is well-established as a promising industry in Bangladesh. The tea industry has been deeply involved in the history and heritage of Bangladesh for over 160 years. “Once upon a time, tea was one of our exports,” he said. Although tea exports declined later due to increased domestic demand, the government took various steps to increase tea production and exports. As a result, a record 96.51 million kg of tea has been produced in the country in 2021.
National Tea Day is being celebrated in Panchagarh
The second National Tea Day is being celebrated in Panchagarh with various arrangements. On the occasion of the day, tea fairs, rallies, and seminars have been organized by the regional branch of the Bangladesh Tea Board.
Saturday (June 4) at 11 o’clock in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office. Zahurul Islam inaugurated the tea fair by flying balloons.
Earlier, a rally was held in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office with tea farmers, tea processing factory owners, and officials of the Tea Board. The rally was accompanied by festoons with various slogans. The 10 stalls participating in the tea fair showcased various quality packaged and bottled teas. Later, a discussion was held in the conference room of the deputy commissioner.
The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Zahurul Islam, senior regional scientific officer of the Tea Board. Shamim Al Mamun, Additional Deputy Commissioner Dipankar Roy, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Sadar Upazila Chairman Amirul Islam along with tea farmer leader Abu Saeed and factory owners spoke.
At this time a documentary titled Bangabandhu and Tea Industry was shown through multimedia.
National Tea Day has been celebrated in Srimangal
The 2nd National Tea Day has been celebrated at Srimangal in Moulvibazar with various arrangements. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected the first Chairman of the Tea Board on 4 June. As a result, this day has been celebrated as Tea Day since 2021.
A rally on the occasion of the day was organized by Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) at 11:30 am on Saturday. The tea exhibition was inaugurated with the guests present at the end of the rally. The tea exhibition showcases different types of tea. Srimangal Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ali Rajib Mahmud Mithun, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Sandwip Talukder, Moulvibazar Assistant Superintendent of Police (Srimangal and Kamalganj Circle) Shahidul Haque Munshi, and others were present.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Tea Day, a discussion meeting was organized by Bangladesh Tea Research Institute at Project Unit Auditorium at 12 noon. Bangladesh Tea Research Institute Chief Scientific Officer. Md. Moulvibazar Additional Deputy Commissioner (Overall) Tania Sultana was present as the chief guest during the presidency of Abdul Aziz. GM Shibli, Chairman, Sylhet Branch of Bangladesh Tea Association, Chief Scientific Officer (Agricultural Theory) Dr. Tawfiq Ahmed, Senior Scientific Officer (Plant Disease Theory) Saiful Islam, Mohammad Ali, Senior Manager, New Samanbagh Tea Garden.
National Tea Day is celebrated in Lalmonirhat
Lalmonirhat: National Tea Day has been celebrated in Lalmonirhat with the slogan ‘Tea Day resolution, green tea industry’. A discussion meeting was held at Shahid Afzal Auditorium of Patgram Upazila on Saturday (June 4) morning to mark the day.
Deputy Commissioner Abu Jafar spoke as the chief guest at the discussion meeting chaired by Hatibandha Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nazir Hossain.
Mayor of Patgram Municipality Rashedul Islam Suite and President of Patgram Tea Producers Cooperative Society Nazrul Islam Belal were special guests at the event organized by Bangladesh Tea Board Lalmonirhat.
Tea farmers including Arif Khan, project director of Lalmonirhat Tea Board also spoke on the occasion. During the discussion, tea growers highlighted the problems of tea production and sales. Earlier, a rally with tea farmers marched around the city.
The government has taken various steps to increase tea exports: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the present government has taken various steps to increase the export to bring back the past tradition of tea export.
He said the government was encouraging large-scale orchards as well as small-scale tea plantations to increase tea production. In the last two decades, there has been a revolution in plain tea cultivation in the northern part of the country. When the Awami League government came to power in 1996, it took initiative to expand the tea industry in North Bengal. As a result, tea cultivation has expanded in Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, and Dinajpur districts. Besides, tea cultivation has also started in the hill district of Bandarban. Tea cultivation in these districts is playing a huge role in socio-economic development including poverty alleviation of the people.
The Prime Minister said this in a message given today on the occasion of ‘National Tea Day-2022’. He said that he was happy to know that ‘National Tea Day-2022’ is going to be celebrated for the second time in the country with great enthusiasm. This year the theme of the day is ‘Resolution of Tea Day, Prosperous Tea Industry’ which he thinks has become very timely.
Sheikh Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman honored the Bengali nation by joining the post of Chairman of the Tea Board on June 4, 1958, as the first Bengali. Later, when he was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, he made an outstanding contribution to the tea industry of the country. Under his direct direction, the Tea Research Institute at Srimangal and the office of the Tea Board at Motijheel, Dhaka were established in 1956. June 4 has been declared as National Tea Day by the Cabinet meeting held on July 20, 2020, to commemorate the contribution of the Father of the Nation to the tea industry and the date of joining the Tea Board.
Noting that the tea industry is on a sustainable and strong footing today as a result of the Father of the Nation’s far-reaching plans, effective measures, and various developmental initiatives taken by the present Awami League government, he said a record amount of 96.51 million kg of tea has been produced.‘
The Prime Minister said international quality research activities on technology innovation need to be intensified to increase quality tea production, reduce production costs and address the challenges of climate change. In addition, efforts should be made to increase the versatility of tea, modernize the marketing process, and, above all, create new markets for Bangladeshi tea in the international market by meeting domestic demand. For this, the present government is providing necessary assistance.
“We are working to improve the quality of life of tea workers,” he said. We are providing various allowances and financial assistance under the Tea Workers and their Children Welfare Fund, Education Trust, and Social Security programs. Initiatives have been taken to build adequate schools and hospitals in the orchards to ensure education and health care for tea garden workers and their family members.
The Prime Minister hoped that all the tea workers, tea researchers, tea growers, and tea traders would work together for the expansion of the tea industry and the economic growth of the country. He wished the overall success of ‘National Tea Day-2022’.
Source: Bass
Panchagarh tea auction center coming soon
The Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) prepares to launch the country’s third tea-auction center in Panchagarh soon with an eye to facilitating the trade of home-grown tea, officials say. Once it comes online, the center will help local growers get a better price, and save time and cost. Even traders will acquire tea leaf without losing quality.
“We’ve conducted six meetings and multiple ground surveys ahead of materializing the plan for the tea auction center in Panchagarh,” BTB chairman Major General Md Ashraful Islam NDC, PSC tells the information. To this end, the final decision will be made through the proper channel soon, he says, adding that the tea board has also got directives from the cabinet. According to tea-sector stakeholders, tea plantation on plains is getting popularity in the country’s northern districts, including Panchagarh.
“Tea is being grown on the plains of Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, and Lalmonirhat, whereas it was limited to hilly areas like Chattogram, Moulvibazar, and Sylhet for so long,” says commerce minister Tipu Munshi. He was addressing a press conference on Thursday ahead of Second National Tea Day today (Saturday). Tea plantation in the north helps make the best use of the land which is unsuitable for growing other crops, according to Mr. Tipu Munshi.