PM commits full government support to revive tea industry

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has assured the tea industry of all necessary cooperation to boost production and resolve its long-standing problems, as part of a broader push to develop Bangladesh's tea sector.

He made the remarks today while chairing a meeting on the development of the country's tea industry at the Secretariat in Dhaka, according to a press release.

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The government would extend the policy, financial, and institutional support needed to help the industry grow, he said.

During the meeting, the prime minister assured tea garden owners that the burden of their existing loans would be eased and that low-interest credit would be made available to them.

He also said the government was favourably considering allowing tea gardens to generate solar power on land unfit for cultivation, and pledged the economic support needed to implement such renewable energy projects.

The prime minister further directed the formation of a committee comprising representatives from relevant ministries, departments, and tea industry bodies to identify the sector's problems and work out effective solutions.

Tea garden owners and industry representatives from across the country used the meeting to raise a range of concerns with the prime minister, including the industry's current state, rising production costs, financing shortages, high energy costs, and the challenge of staying competitive in international markets.

They also put forward a set of demands and proposals aimed at ensuring the industry's sustainable development.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hassan Mahmood; Minister for Land Mizanur Rahman Minu; Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir; State Minister for Land Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar along with tea garden owners and representatives of industry organisations.