SRIMANGAL, June 20, 2026 (BSS) – Leading tea gardens, companies and individuals were honoured in different categories today in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Bangladesh's tea industry on the occasion of National Tea Day 2026.
The awards were presented for excellence in tea production, quality improvement, innovative marketing, workers' welfare and the production of nutritious tea products at the sixth National Tea Day celebration held at the Auditorium-cum-Multipurpose Hall in Srimangal, widely known as the country's tea capital.

The names of the award recipients were announced at the function and certificates and crests were handed over to them. 

Sri Gobindapur Tea Garden was recognised as the highest tea-producing garden per acre, while Madhupur Tea Garden received the award for producing the highest-quality tea. The Consolidated Tea and Lands Company (Bangladesh) Limited won the award for the best tea exporter.

Md Matiar Rahman of Sonapatila village under Atwari upazila in Panchagarh was selected as the best small-scale tea grower. Mirzapur Tea Garden received special recognition for its contribution to tea workers' welfare.

Kazi & Kazi Tea Estate Limited secured two separate awards for innovative marketing of tea products and for marketing nutritious and high-quality tea blends.
Among workers' categories, Jesmin Oraon of Nepucha Tea Garden was honoured as the best tea leaf picker. Sristi Tea Limited, located in Jagdal area of Panchagarh Sadar upazila, was recognised as the best bottling tea factory under a special National Tea Day category.

Earlier, the programme was inaugurated with the release of balloons and festoons by chief guest and local Member of Parliament Md Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury.

Addressing the function, the lawmaker said tea is not merely a beverage but an integral part of Bangladesh's history, economy and the livelihoods of millions of people.
He stressed the need to modernise the tea sector and develop it into a sustainable and internationally competitive industry. 

Noting that the country now has more than 160 tea estates and numerous small tea gardens, he said the sector is making a significant contribution to the national economy while Bangladeshi tea is being exported to various countries alongside meeting domestic demand.

Highlighting the role of tea workers, he said the industry could not have achieved its current success without their hard work and dedication. He underscored the importance of ensuring fair wages, better housing, education, healthcare and social security for tea workers.

The Lawmaker also said Srimangal is not only the heart of Bangladesh's tea industry but also one of the country's most promising tourism destinations. He pointed to the vast potential for developing world-class tea tourism centring on tea gardens, haors, streams, national parks and the diverse culture of ethnic communities.

To realise this potential, he proposed the formation of a "Srimangal Tourism Development Authority".

Presiding over the event, Commerce Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan said the government is committed to the sustainable development of the tea industry and the improvement of tea workers' living standards.

In his welcome address, Bangladesh Tea Board Chairman Major General Md Mesbah Uddin Ahmed said all activities and licensing systems of the Tea Board have been digitised as part of efforts to modernise the sector.

He added that two mobile applications – ‘Bangladesh Tea Industry’ and ‘Duti Pata Ekti Kuri’ – have been launched to enrich the industry's information database and improve access to services.

Later, the guests visited different stalls at a fair organised marking the day and exchanged views with buyers and sellers on tea production and marketing management.