‘Govt working for dev of tea industry in Panchagarh’

Panchagarh Correspondent: Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) Chairman Major General Md Ashraful Islam has said the government is working relentlessly for development of the emerging tea industry in Panchagarh region. “An initiative has been taken to set up a tea auction center in Panchagarh subject to
the development of required infrastructures,” he said while addressing a workshop held at the conference of the Deputy Commissioner in Panchagarh town last afternoon as the chief guest.
The Project Development Unit of BTB with assistance of Panchagarh district administration organized the workshop titled “Plain Land Tea Industry: Past, Present and Future” with stakeholders related to tea industry in the northern region.
Deputy Commissioner of Panchagarh Md Jahurul Islam presided over the workshop.
Senior Scientific Officer of BTB at its Panchagarh Regional Office Dr Mohammad Shameem Al Mamun presented the keynote article titled “Tea Industry of Plains: Past, Present and Future” in the event.
Director of the Project Development Unit of BTB at Srimangal Dr A K M Rafiqul Haque elaborately discussed the plain land tea industry.
Superintendent of Police of Panchagarh Mohammad Yusuf Ali, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Md. Azad Jahan, Chairman of Panchagarh Sadar Upazila Parishad Md. Amirul Islam, Panchagarh Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Masudul Haque, Development Officer of BTB at Panchagarh Md. Amir Hossain, President of Small Tea Garden Owners’ and Tea Traders’ Association of Bangladesh Md Amirul Haque Khokan, Managing Director of Greenfield Tea Industries Limited in Thakurgaon Md Faizul Islam Hiru, chamber leaders, tea growers, brokers and traders addressed.
The chief guest shed light on various steps and future plans of BTB for development of the tea industry on plain lands in Panchagarh and adjoining northern districts.
He emphasized on providing subsidized fertilizers to tea farmers in the region and tea-leaf plucking machines on easy terms, imparting training to tea farmers through Camellia Open Sky School and ensuring fair price of raw tea leaves to farmers.
Earlier in the morning, the BTB Chairman visited the proposed ‘Third Tea Auction Center’ at Dhakkamara area in Panchagarh and exchanged views with stakeholders concerned.
Besides, he visited small scale tea plantations in Panchagarh.
The BTB Chairman also attended a training workshop on “Plucking, Fertilizer Application and Insect Control Management in Tea Farming” organized by BTB for 70 small tea farmers under the banner of “Camellia Open Sky School” at Kazirhat village in Panchagarh Sadar Upazila as the chief guest.