Photo: Collected
The long-held belief that tea grows well only in hilly areas is being shattered. A groundbreaking initiative in Kapasia Upazila of Gazipur is redefining the potential of tea cultivation in the plains of Bangladesh.
Professor Md. Lutfar Rahman, a teacher at the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), has successfully established a tea garden on one hectare of land in Chinadauli village. This proves that the favorable environment for tea cultivation can extend beyond the hilly areas of Sylhet.
Drawing on nearly four decades of experience in the tea industry, Mr. Rahman started the project in 2019 after noticing the similarities between the rainfall and topography of Kapasia and Sylhet. “Although I have not yet analyzed the soil structure in the laboratory here, I decided to try it as the topography seemed favorable,” he said.
He initially planted 20,000 seedlings collected from Srimangal in five plots. Over time, the gardens, which are now two to five years old, have started to bear fruit. Production has started from the older gardens, and around 100 kg of green tea was harvested in 2022 and 2023. Production dropped to 60 kg in 2024, while 76 kg have been produced so far in 2025.
Rahman currently produces green tea by hand, using a Chinese technique he learned online. “After picking the leaves, I process them by heating them in very hot water for two minutes,” he says. He adds that mechanized production and branding are the future goals. He hopes to reach a production of 150 kg by 2026.
The initiative has sparked interest among both locals and tourists, making the garden a growing attraction. Many see it as a potential driver of rural employment and economic diversification.
Local resident Monir Hossain says, “Tea cultivation will reduce unemployment in our area. It costs less and is more profitable than other crops.” Expressing similar optimism, neighbor Asma Khatun said, “We are now able to work. In the future, my children will also be able to work here.”
Kapasia Upazila Agriculture Officer Auliya Khatun described the soil here as suitable for tea cultivation and said the authorities are ready to assist interested farmers.
With its initial success, the Kapasia Tea Garden is not only challenging the conventional boundaries of cultivation but also opening up a new horizon of agricultural innovation in the plains of Bangladesh.
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Source: Online/GFMM
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