Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday put emphasis on the diversified production of tea-based items alongside maintaining the standard to grab the international market in a greater way.
"There's a scope of diversified use of tea leaves...we can do that to put our tea products in the world market on a strong base," she said.
The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the three-day Bangladesh Tea Expo 2018 arranged at International Convention City Bashundhara, aiming to expand the tea market and promote tea-related products as well as boosting production with newer varieties.
Currently, she said, various types of tea are available in the market. "Gradually, we have to go for its diversified production to maintain our position in the world arena."
Sheikh Hasina said soap, shampoo, lotion and such other items produced from tea leaves are gaining popularity in the world market. "Taking greener leaves for the tea, we can use the older ones for this purpose. There's ample scope for the diversified use of the tea leaves."
She mentioned that pickles can be made from tea leaves, too.
In the world market, the Prime Minister said, various kinds of tea like lemon tea, masala tea, ginger tea and tulsi tea are popular. "Bangladesh can produce such tea as well."
Talking about the pesticide-less tea production, she said such tea has drawn the attraction of consumers and it has a huge demand in the world market.
Sheikh Hasina, however, stressed the attractive packaging of tea to get more consumers in the international market. "This can be useful for all to get more consumers abroad."
The Prime Minister asked the Tea Research Institute to enhance the quality and production of tea by inventing newer varieties of tea through their research work.
She also called on the tea garden owners to pay special attention to the welfare of their workers, and asked the workers to be sincere in their work and careful about the gardens as those bring livelihood for them.
Commerce Secretary Shubhashish Bose and Bangladeshiyo Cha Sangsad (Tea Association of Bangladesh) chairman ArdashirKabir also spoke at the programme.
Bangladesh Tea Board Chairman Major General Md Shafeenul Islam delivered the welcome address.
The Ministry of Commerce and Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) jointly is organising the expo, whose first edition was held on January 12-14 last year.
A new variety of tea named 'BT21' was unveiled by the Prime Minister at the beginning of the inaugural ceremony.
She also laid the foundation stone of the 30-storey Bangabandhu Cha Bhaban to be constructed at Motijheel spending 2.37 billion and 9.7 million, reports UNB.
The Prime Minister distributed awards among the winners of 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.
After the inaugural session, Sheikh Hasina visited different stalls of the exposition.
A seminar, titled 'Career Prospects in Tea Sector', will be held on the second day while another, titled 'Diversification of Tea in Bangladesh', on the concluding day.
