3-day tea expo to begin Feb 18

FT ONLINE

Bangladesh Tea Expo 2018 is scheduled to be held on February 18 in Dhaka. The three-day-long exhibition will be held from February 18 to 20 at the International Convention City Bashundhara in Dhaka.

The expo is being organized by Bangladesh Tea Board.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the event. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed made the announcement at a press conference held at his office in Dhaka on Thursday.

“The tea industry is one of the oldest industries in country. It has tremendous potential and can do wonders for our economy. We hope to represent the traditions and culture of our tea industry through Bangladesh Tea Expo 2018,” Tofail Ahmed said at the press conference.

The minister also said that the aim of the expo is to showcase the tea industry, promote diversification of tea and tea products, and explore the culture of the tea gardens.

Commerce Secretary Shubhashish Bose and Bangladesh Tea Board Chairman Major General Shafeenul Islam were present at the meeting.

Tofail Ahmed highlighted the contribution of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in making the tea sector flourish. He said the tea industry became prosperous under Bangabandhu’s leadership because he worked diligently to ensure the welfare of the tea garden workers. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the first Bangladeshi chairman of the pre-Independence Tea Board.

A new variety of tea named “BT21” will be unveiled in the inauguration. In the previous expo, two new varieties called “BT19” and “BT20” were unveiled.

The event organizers will award the best tea garden based on worker welfare, production capacity, tea quality, best packaging, diversification of tea marketing as well as the best small tea producer and the most attractive pavilion at the expo.

On the second day of the expo, there will be several seminars on career prospects in the tea sector and diversification of tea in Bangladesh. During a television talk-show on labor welfare in tea gardens of Bangladesh, prospects of tea tourism and health benefits of drinking tea will be discussed.

Bangladeshiyo Cha Sangsad (Tea Association of Bangladesh), MM Ispahani Limited, the Consolidated Tea and Lands Company (Bangladesh) Limited, Abul Khair Consumer Goods Limited, Duncan Brothers Bangladesh, Halda Valley Tea Company, City Group and Orion Group are co-organizers of the event.