Leading tea estates, institutions, and individuals were honored on Saturday for their exceptional contributions to the industry during a ceremony celebrating the 6th National Tea Day in Sreemangal, widely regarded as the tea capital of Bangladesh.

The awards were presented at the Auditorium-cum-Multipurpose Hall, recognizing excellence across several key areas, including production volume, quality improvement, export performance, labor welfare, innovation and the development of value-added tea products.

The accolades highlighted the diverse strengths within the sector: Sri Gobindapur Tea Garden was honored for achieving the highest yield per acre, while Madhupur Tea Garden earned recognition for producing the highest-quality tea.

The Consolidated Tea & Lands Company (Bangladesh) Limited was named the best tea exporter. Among individual awardees Md. Motiar Rahman of Sonapatila in Panchagarh was celebrated as the best small-scale tea producer and Jasmin Oraon of Nepucha Tea Garden was recognized as the best tea leaf plucker.

Additionally, Mirzapur Tea Garden received the award for excellence in labor welfare, while Kazi & Kazi Tea Estate Limited secured two awards for innovative marketing and the production of nutritious blended tea. Sristi Tea Limited of Panchagarh was honored as the best bottling tea factory.

Local Member of Parliament Md. Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury inaugurated the event as the chief guest. During his address, he remarked, "Tea is deeply linked with Bangladesh's history, economy and the livelihoods of millions of people."

Emphasizing the need for a global outlook, he urged collective efforts to elevate industry standards and proposed the creation of a "Sreemangal Tourism Development Authority" to bolster international tea tourism.

Bangladesh Tea Board Chairman Major General Md. Mesbah Uddin Ahmed discussed the sector’s digital transformation, noting that all licensing and related activities have now been digitized.

He further highlighted the introduction of two mobile applications—"Bangladesh Tea Industry" and "Duti Pata Ekti Kuri"—designed to strengthen the industry's database and streamline information services.

He also noted that the Bangladesh Tea Research Institute is actively promoting value-added products, such as jasmine, rose, lemon, masala, and chocolate tea, to diversify exports and boost competitiveness in international markets.

Commerce Secretary Md. Ataur Rahman Khan, who presided over the ceremony, reaffirmed the government's steadfast commitment to the sustainable development of the tea sector.

He emphasized the importance of "improving the living standards of tea workers through fair wages and enhanced social security measures."

The event also featured addresses from representatives of the Bangladesh Tea Association, the Tea Traders Association and other stakeholders, and concluded with a tour of a tea fair where guests engaged directly with producers and consumers.